London gets canoe taxi service for city centre canals

London's first canal taxi servicehas begun operating. A fleet of 10 paddle-powered vessels have been licensed by British Waterways to operate on the Regent's Canal and Grand Union Canal. The service can take passengers anywhere from Lisson Grove to Camden Lock, Victoria Park to Hackney Wick, or Little Venice to Hayes in Middlesex.

A passenger can book the water taxis online and will get either a two-seater canoe or kayak. Prices will be about £50 an hour and the kayak-taxi offers short paddle-powered journeys and longer tours. They will run seven days a week from April to October.

Thames River Adventures director Danny Gillard said: 'The canal system is a real hidden gem, there's fantastic architecture, wildlife and unusual views of the city.'

'The service offers an alternative method of getting from A to B, especially if you have some time to spare and prefer to see things a little differently.'

British Waterways London looks after 100 miles of canals and rivers in and around the capital including Grand Union and Regent's canals, the rivers Lee and Stort, and the docks on the Isle of Dogs.