A delegation from the St Petersburg Transportation and Transit Department visited London to view the capital’s transport infrastructure. This was the second visit following HRH The Duke of York’s visit to St Petersburg in early June in his role as UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. At that time HRH The Duke of York met the Governor of St Petersburg, Mrs Valentina Matvienko, to discuss the city’s plans for developing a more efficient public transport system; the Duke invited a delegation to meet some of the people responsible for the redevelopment of London’s transport infrastructure.

Beckett Rankine organised the water transport programme for UKTI. The programme included presentations from BR’s Jessica Kingham on London’s River Piers and Thames Clippers’ Sean Collins on their fast ferry passenger vessels. Port of London and London River Services also explained their role in the river’s regulatory framework.

The delegation then visited six of the eleven Thames passenger piers that BR have designed on the Clipper service from Millbank Millennium Pier downriver to North Greenwich Pier at the O2. AEG then provided a tour of the O2 which they have developed into the world’s most popular entertainment venue.