Another water taxi service planned

REGULAR readers of narrowboatworld will be well aware of the many water taxi schemes that have been attempted but have come to nought, and now there is another.

This time a service is planned for Manchester, using the Irwell between Manchester Victoria and the Trafford Centre, Alan Tilbury tells us, with passengers being transported in a 40ft 'waxi', as shown in the picture.

Reduce pollution

Manchester Water Taxi Ltd that hopes to launch the service claim they will help reduce pollution and congestion, with the company urging people to register their support in the region's draft Local Transport Plan, which sets future transport priorities. However, passenger travel on the canal and river network is not currently included in the draft Local Transport Plan.

And the boats will only seat 12 passengers, but could carry wheelchairs, bikes and prams.

Already a link

Also there is already a public transport link, with Dave Newton, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive's Transport Strategy Director, explaining:

"While we are supportive of the diversity that the water taxis would offer, there is an effective sustainable public transport link between the city centre, Exchange Quay and MediaCityUK in the form of Metrolink."

(That is of course providing it is still operating after this week's crash!)

Many authorities put forward plans to go 'green' with water taxis, but are rarely successful, with the last reported in NbW to serve Merry Hill Shopping Centre on the Stourbridge Canal, that came to nought.