AFTER negotiating tricky waters on Friday, Oxford’s first canal Water Bus service enjoyed a more successful start to its six-week trial period.

The boat, whose maiden test voyage was redirected as it was too big for the Isis Lock, finally made it on to the canal on Saturday, using a tilting technique to guide it through the narrower sections.

The canal service runs from Hythe Bridge Street in the city centre to Aristotle Lane in North Oxford every hour from 10am until 6pm seven days a week.

The 30-minute each way journey costs £10 return for adults and £6 for children.

Lady Wendy Ball, joint owner of the business said: “The first day was a success and Sunday was a little bit more successful, the weather was so beautiful people have been having a lovely time.”

Lady Ball said the service has been running at half capacity over its first weekend with positive feedback from people using it.

“Passengers have been mostly British so far and most of them have been passers-by, we’ve not quite reached the tourist market yet but we had a few New Zealanders and a Canadian who were visiting Oxford.”

The first set of passengers were said to have expressed an interest in seeing the scheme expanded to the River Thames and throughout the city, an idea shared by owners Sir Christopher and Lady Ball.

Sir Christopher said: “The further dream is to put them on the Thames and the River Cherwell, so Oxford will be surrounded by these boats, but we need to take it step by step.”

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