Leeds Dock water taxis will charge just £1 per trip and might get an Uber-style app

The taxis - nicknamed Twee and Drie - have been in use on the dock for the past five years as a free service funded by Leeds Dock.

However, to keep the taxi service "sustainable" the dock have announced the charge - which is set to come into force on June 10th.

Children aged five and under will continue to travel for free, the dock confirmed.

A statement released by Leeds Dock said: "We understand the water taxis are a trusted and loved service and that’s why we want to keep them sustainable for the future, we have decided to implement a charge per person, per journey.

"From June 10th, we will be charging £1 per person, per journey, with children aged five and under travelling free.

"Following feedback received from regular users and many usability reviews, we picked up on a few key points where the service could be improved.

"By implementing a charge per person, per journey we have the opportunity to create GPS tracking (in a similar style to Uber) for both boats, showing you where the boats are and how long until they reach stops."

There are two current pick-up and drop-off points for the taxi which are located at Granary Wharf by the new South entrance of Leeds train station & Leeds Dock.

Leeds Dock have asked for feedback on the proposed charge and how the service could be improved.

They said they would improve signage at the start and end points of the route to help commuters.

Many users of the taxis reacted with appreciation for the "fantastic" service available at the dock.

Adam Leggott tweeted: "I'd happily pay £1 per journey to support this great service."Also I'd echo what others have said about offering a discount for long term (weekly/monthly) passes.

"The GPS thing sounds great, as this is also something that prevents me using it more often.

Tom Wade said: "I was always surprised it was a free service as it's fantastic! Especially after reading about how it would be reinvested in benefitting the service! Happy to see it put in place!"

Twitter user Phoebe added: "I'm always willing to donate when I currently get the taxi anyway, so a charge wouldn't bother me at all. Anyway to improve the already great service would be welcomed."