The London Eye, or the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom with over 3 million visitors annually. It has made many appearances in popular culture. The structure is 135 meters tall and the wheel has a diameter of 120 meters. It was formally opened by the Prime Minister Tony Blair on 31 December 1999, but did not open to the paying public until 09 March 2000 because of a capsule clutch problem. The London Eye was originally intended as a temporary attraction, with a five-year lease. In December 2001, the operators submitted an application to Lambeth Council to give the London Eye permanent status, and the application was granted in July 2002. On 5 June 2008 it was announced that 30 million people had ridden the London Eye since it opened.