Let the travelling by boat take the stress out of commuting
IN warm weather those living near the river in London have a big advantage. It’s not just the views or access to riverside beer gardens – it’s the fact that they don’t have to jam themselves into sweat-drenched Tube carriages and buses when they can drift merrily to work by boat instead. When commuting comes with sun cream and a pleasant breeze, you know you’re onto a good thing.
For those on the river’s western stretch, the Thames River Taxi has peak hour services between Putney and Blackfriars, with stops including Chelsea Harbour and Embankment. In the east, the Thames Clipper runs from Woolwich Arsenal through to the London Eye via Greenwich, Canary Wharf and London Bridge. Greg Hall, 27, an IT professional working in Canary Wharf, commutes by river from his flat in the Royal Arsenal Riverside development in Woolwich. “Taking the Thames Clipper is so much more pleasant than taking the tube or being stuck in traffic,” he says. “I use my Oyster card to travel and I can be at the pier at 6.30am and by my desk by 7 o’clock.”
It’s not a money saver – a Thames Clipper single is £5.30 (or £4.80 with an Oyster Card holder, for which the service accepts pay as you go) – but on a hot summer’s day how could you not be in a good mood when you take a pleasurable cruise to the office?
Wood Wharf, greenwich, se10
£750,000
A stone’s throw from Greenwich Pier, this sharp two-bedroom penthouse in a smart riverside development.
Contact: Foxtons 020 7133 7777, www.foxtons.co.uk
albion riverside, battersea, sw11
Price: £2.15m
A smart three-bedroom property overlooking the river Thames and Cadogan Pier is just a short walk across Battersea Bridge. There are two en suite bathrooms and an open-plan living area. The building has 24-hour concierge facilities, residents’ gym and pool and a parking space.
Contact: Knight Frank on 020 7590 2450, www.knightfrank.co.uk
the belvedere, chelsea harbour, sw10
Price: £3.45m
You know you’ve made it when you’re looking out across the London skyline from your apartment on the 14th floor of a plush block in Chelsea Harbour. This three bed flat has plenty of entertaining space and 24-hour security.
Contact: Chesterton Humberts on 020 7594 4740,
www.chestertonhumberts.com