If you’re fed up of taking the Tube to other parts of London, a more scenic alternative could be in place as early as next year.

Thames Clippers is extendng its river bus RB1 route to Barking Riverside, with the new pier expected to open in the winter of 2021.

It will be the 24th stop on the boat network, providing a connection along the Thames between Barking and Battersea.

Passengers will be able to travel across the Thames to Woolwich in just six minutes, while it will take just over half an hour to get to Canary Wharf by boat. Journeys to central London will take around 45 minutes.

A long-term contract has been agreed between Thames Clippers and Barking Riverside Limited, with the latter’s managing director Matthew Carpen saying: “This exciting agreement is part of our ambition to open up this remarkable stretch of the River Thames for everyone to enjoy.

“The new river bus stop will bring many benefits for the local area and create new opportunities for our diverse and enterprising community.”

Sean Collins, co-founder and chief executive of Thames Clippers, added: “The addition of a stunning new pier at Barking Riverside is an incredibly exciting milestone for Thames Clippers.

“It creates a new and unique gateway to the development and will allow residents to travel into the centre of the capital and beyond.

“It also extends our route by 4km and is a significant step in our commitment to expand yet further east and our target to operate a route that spans over 50km of the river by 2025.”

The new pier will be just a short walk from Barking Riverside station, currently being built to facilitate an extension of the London Overground.

Barking and Dagenham Council has contributed £600,000 towards bringing Thames Clippers to the borough, with concept designs for the new pier already created.

Councillor Cameron Geddes, cabinet member for regeneration and social housing, said: “This transport link will enable us to further unlock the potential for increased connectivity for the benefit of those who live, work, visit and travel through our borough.

“The Thames Clippers service will not only support the regeneration of Barking Riverside, but will also be available for all residents.”