View source for Westminster Millennium Pier

{{Short description|Pier on the River Thames in London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox pier
| name          = [[File:LRS roundel.svg|12px|alt=LRS|link=London River Services]] Westminster Pier
| image         = Westminster pier 1.jpg
| image_size    = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = 
| locale        = [[River Thames]], [[London]], UK
| type          = River tourist/leisure services
| design        = 
| construction  = 
| owner         = [[London River Services]]
| operator      = [[Thames Clippers|Uber Boat by Thames Clippers]]
| open          = 
| closed        = 
| coordinates   = {{coord|51.501901|N|0.123223|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| map = United Kingdom Central London
}}

'''Westminster Pier''' is a [[pier]] on the [[River Thames]], in the [[City of Westminster]] in [[London]], England.  It is operated by [[Thames Clippers|Uber Boat by Thames Clippers]] and served by various river transport and cruise operators. It is located next to [[Westminster Bridge]] on the north bank of the Thames, and is close to one of London's most prominent landmarks, [[Big Ben]].

==Former Westminster Floating Pier==
The former Westminster Floating Pier existed on the site through the 1950s, running along the Thames between Kew and the London docks. The floating pier acted as a landing point for many Royal water journeys, including the conclusion of Queen Elizabeth II's Commonwealth tour in May 1954.<ref>{{cite web |title=May 1954 - Commonwealth Tour Homecoming |url=https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/may-1954-commonwealth-tour-homecoming-the-queens-return-queen-elizabeth-ii-prince-philip-and-the-royal-children-prince-charles-and-princess-anne-come-ashore-at-westminster-pier-followed-by-other-members-of-the-royal-family-including-queen-elizabe-887350a |website=Shutterstock}}</ref>

On the 7th February 1955, night watchmen reported a leak had been found in the pier, causing the middle sections to sink. Workman from the Port Of London Authority spent three hours trying to drain the central pontoon of water, with the pier being half submerged by 10am before fully sinking "as Big Ben struck twelve".<ref>{{cite news |title= Big Ben Struck Twelve as the Pier Sank |publisher=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=8 February 1955}}</ref> No one was hurt during the sinking, with the staff having time to evacuate and retrieve important documents.
The sinking of the pier was widely reported on by newspapers and media of the time, with it being parodied in an episode of ''[[The Goon Show]]'' a week after the incident.<ref>{{cite web |title= The valuable hand-carved oil-painted valuable floating pier |date=16 December 2021 |url=https://www.theseagoonmemoirs.com/post/the-valuable-hand-carved-oil-painted-valuable-floating-pier |publisher=The Seagoon Memoirs}}</ref>

==Construction==
[[File:Westminster Pier 2018.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A view from Westminster Pier on the River Thames]]
The development of Westminster Millennium Pier was funded by the [[Millennium Commission]] as part of the Thames project, and it was one of five new piers opened in 2000 by the Commission on the Thames (the others being [[Blackfriars Millennium Pier]], [[London Eye Pier]], [[Tower Millennium Pier]] and [[Millbank Millennium Pier]]). Its creation was funded by the project as part of an integrated transport and regeneration strategy for the Thames led by London's Cross River Partnership.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.millennium.gov.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=1213
 |title       = Ken Livingstone Opens New Millennium Commission Funded Pier
 |access-date  = 2008-03-30
 |date        = 2000-07-13
 |work        = The Millennium Commission press release
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20081209000734/http://www.millennium.gov.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=1213
 |archive-date = 9 December 2008
 |df          = dmy-all
}}
</ref>

==Services==
The pier is served by various services including:
* [[Thames River Services]] between Westminster, [[Tower Bridge Quay]], [[Greenwich Pier]] and the Thames Flood Barrier (Pre-booked groups can disembark at [[Barrier Gardens Pier]]).
* City Cruises leisure cruises between Westminster and [[Greenwich Pier]]
* Circular Cruise Westminster to St Katharine's Circular
* Thames River Boats cruises to Hampton Court Palace

==Connections==
*[[Westminster tube station]] {{rail-interchange|london|underground}}

==Local attractions==
[[File:westminsterpier.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Entrance to the Westminster Pier]]
North bank
*[[Big Ben]] and the [[Palace of Westminster]]
*[[Westminster Abbey]] and [[St. Margaret's, Westminster]]
*[[Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms]]
*The [[Boudica]] statue
South Bank
*[[London Eye]]
*[[Sea Life London Aquarium]]
*[[Florence Nightingale Museum]]

==Lines==
{{adjacent stations|system=London River Services
|line1=RB1|left1=Millbank Pier|right1=London Eye Pier
|line2=RB2|left2=Millbank Pier|right2=Embankment Pier|to-left2=Putney Pier
|line3=RB6|left3=Millbank Pier|right3=London Eye Pier|to-right3=Royal Wharf Pier
|line4=Westminster to Greenwich Express Service|left4=|right4=London Eye Pier}}

{{London River Services map}}

==References==
{{commons category|Westminster Millennium Pier}}

{{reflist}}

{{London River Services navbox}}
{{Transport in London}}

[[Category:Transport in the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:London River Services]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the 3rd millennium]]
[[Category:Piers in London]]
[[Category:Victoria Embankment]]


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