West India Pier facts for kids
West India Pier as seen from Cuba Street
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| Type | Former working pier |
|---|---|
| Spans | River Thames |
| Locale | Isle of Dogs |
| Construction | 1874-75 |
| Operator | London River Services |
| Opening date | 1874-75 |
| Destruction date | 1993 |
| Coordinates | 51°30′05″N 0°1′38″W / 51.50139°N 0.02722°W |
West India Pier (also known as West India Dock Pier) is a pier located on the famous River Thames in London. You can find it in the Isle of Dogs area, right next to modern buildings like Anchorage Point and Millennium Harbour, at the end of Cuba Street.
Building the West India Pier
This pier was built between 1874 and 1875. Its main purpose was to help move goods for the East and West India Dock Companies. These companies were important for trade at the time.
Later, in 1909, the pier's ownership was given to the Port of London Authority. This is a group that manages the River Thames.
Rebuilding After Damage
During the Second World War, in March 1941, the pier was damaged. It was hit during attacks on London. After the war, the pier was rebuilt using parts from another unused pier called Blackwall Pier. It opened again in 1949–50.
Why the Pier Closed
The West India Pier has not been used since 1993. From 1988 to 1991, a special boat service called the Docklands River Bus used the pier. However, not many people used this boat route.
The journey from Charing Cross to West India Pier only took about 20 minutes. But because there were not enough passengers, the service stopped.
Today, the closest active pier for River Bus passengers is Canary Wharf Pier. It opened in July 1991 and is only about a 10-minute walk away.
