- London’s cable car system costing $96 million has been given a new look.
- The cable car failed to attract commuters, but it is now a success with TikTok.
- A recent event was held as IFS Cloud Cable Car, where the transport system’s rebranding was announced.
London’s cable cars have been refreshed by their owners to increase their popularity after it gained viral status in recent years.
The monocable, which measures a half-mile in length and is 300 feet high, was previously known as the Emirates Air Line. However, Transport for London (TfL), the local transit agency that owns the cable car, announced its new name, the IFS Cloud Cable Car.
The Dangleway, as it’s nicknamed, has struggled to attract regular riders since it was constructed at a cost of £60 million, or about $96 million at the time, in 2012 ahead of the London Olympics.
Although the cable car has not been well received by commuters, it is a social media hit. Related Videos Cable Cars LondonAccording to TikTok’s platform, the hashtag received 25.4 Million Views. #cablecarslondonHas received 3.2 millions; #londoncablecar# is the same as #emiratescablecarsReceived 10.3 Million.
The rebrand is a continuation of a sponsorship agreement with IFS (IT firm), which was announced first in SeptemberThis marks the end of a long-running struggle to find a new name.
A £36 million sponsorship deal with the airline Emirates ended in June,Transport for London is now without a long-term sponsor. TfL opened the search for a new sponsor in December. Potential sponsors were required to submit their interest by February.
The deadline expired in February and no formal submissions had been received, leading to some to question whether the project’s long-term viability.
TfL maintained that the system would continue to operate even if sponsorship wasn’t found. Evening Standard. However, the new deal is much less valuable than the prior sponsorship.
IFS will pay about £420,000 a year, or $490,000 at the current exchange rate, per the Evening Standard, significantly less than the £3.6 million annually paid by Emirates. IFS’ contract will be in effect for at least two years. TFL stated that the deal was announced when it was first made public in September. Insider was told by officials at Thursday’s event that it was a five year deal with a two year break clause.
The cable car crosses River Thames from the Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Victoria Dock east in central London. Officials estimated that it could serve as many 2 million people annually when it was first opened. Boris Johnson, London’s mayor at the time, said that the cable car would be an important part of innovating travel in London by enabling people to get around. You can cross the Thames in five minutesInstead of having to take a long tube ride,Â
But The Guardian reported in February that freedom-of-information requests revealed that at one point the system had just four regular commuters. TfL estimates that approximately 15 million people have used cable cars in the ten years since its opening.
Danny Price, TfL’s head for sponsorship, stated that “all the positive vibes and social media about this service are that it has all the right plans to make it even greater in the future.” BBCApril 2009 interview on how TfL was trying to use that fame in its search of a new sponsor
Stephen Jones
Oliver Pilgerstorfer (IFS’ chief marketing officer) stated at Thursday’s event, that sponsorship makes a lot more sense.
This software company specializes in services for large organizations, such as Doppelmayr, an Austrian cable-car manufacturer, which built and maintained the cable car for TfL.
Following the new deal, the system’s 36 cabins have been redesigned with IFS’ purple colors — A shade that is coincidentally very similar to the Elizabeth Line, London’s new $25 billion Tube route.
The interiors of the IFS Cloud Cable Car will be renovated and equipped with new communication systems over the next few months, Josh Crompton from TfL, said to Insider. Crompton explained that it’s more than just a way to cross a river.
