Olympic pontoon on Thames at Gravesend planned

The pontoon will be added to the refurbished town pier

Plans to build a £2m pontoon on the River Thames at Gravesend in Kent will soon be made a reality.

Gravesham Borough Council says it will create the facility in time for passengers wishing to travel to the 2012 Olympics by boat.

The pontoon will be added to the refurbished town pier for use by paddle steamers, yachts and ferries.

The council says the scheme will continue to benefit the town after the Olympics are over.

Council regeneration manager Sue Lord said: "Having refurbished the oldest cast iron pier in the world, town pier, we are currently having a pontoon manufactured and that is going to be put off the end of the pier to enable people to once again arrive at and depart from town pier by river.

"It will be a permanent feature and will be here in time for the Olympics."