London to get cable car in time for Olympics

London: Visitors to the London Olympics in 2012 could be able to cross the River Thames using the city's first ever cable car, authorities said Sunday.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said he had been inspired by cable cars in New York, Singapore, Barcelona and other world cities. The £25 million (Dh139.4 million) project would link two Olympic venues on either side of the river.

It would take five minutes to cross the river and would carry up to 2,500 passengers each hour on a stretch of the Thames that has road tunnels, but no bridges.

"A cable car spanning the majestic Thames would not only provide a unique and pioneering addition to London's skyline, but also offer a serene and joyful journey across the river," Johnson said in a statement.

The privately-funded project would link the 02 arena with the ExCeL conference centre on the site of the capital's old docks.