The new ‘Waxi’, which will soon be ferrying passengers along the Bridgewater Canal, has been unveiled.
The custom-made 12-seater water taxis, made by Aintree Boats in Liverpool, will offer free wifi, refreshments, charge points and televisions.
They will take an hour to travel a four-mile route from the Trafford Centre, passing Old Trafford before terminating at Dukes 92, Castlefield.
Entrepreneur Steve Cadwell has been in negotiations to run the vehicles on the city’s waterways since 2009.
His company, Manchester Water Taxis, was given the green light to start operating two boats on the stretch earlier this year.
Residents and tourists will be able to use the service later this year.
A service to Sale is also expected to be launched soon.
Cadwell eventually hopes to run a fleet on the Manchester Ship Canal as well as the Bridgewater Canal.
His initially plan to launch his water taxi business on the Manchester Ship Canal between the city centre and MediaCityUK were put on hold when the HS2 scheme was given the greenlight and the Ordsall Chord – which is due to be finished in 2017 – began construction.
He took his idea to the Bridgewater Canal Company Limited and was awarded a licence to operate two boats.
The waxis are roughly half the size of a traditional narrow boat.
They will run during daylight hours but could eventually be in service from 7am – 10pm.
