WITH footpaths, railway and roads already being drawn together into a unified service to open up Evesham for visitors, town promoters are working towards their long-held goal of a water taxi service.

The water taxi would run between the town and Evesham Country Park, taking in numerous riverside pubs in between.

It is just one part of a scheme being co-ordinated by the Market Town Partnership, aiming to link all forms of transport to open up the Avon and surrounding areas.

Footpaths and road transport have already been improved by the partnership and linked with the Simon de Montfort Battlefield Trail but more work needs to be done to provide a proposed disabled access to the river and jetty.

Manager Lew Hammond was quick to point out that there is still some way to go before the goal of integrating all the forms of transport around the town is reached but he said work is moving on apace.

"We have been working on this for two years and I would guess it would take another two years to get fully installed," he said. " We are aiming for spring 2008.

"A year ago I was pessimistic about the overall plan because of planning problems with certain developments but now I am optimistic and pleased with our progress.

"The water taxi won't take place until our developments at the Country Park take place," explained Mr Hammond.

"They would then secure Section 106 off-site funding to pay for the water taxi facilities.

Jetty

"We need a fairly large jetty and to get to the proposed site of it at present means walking over a field and up a bank.

"That's fine for a healthy walker but no good for wheelchairs or perhaps older people so it needs to be hardened. The Country Park will not do that until they have the motivation to do so from a couple of proposed developments."

One of those planning applications involves the provision of fishing lodges along 300m of prime Avon fishing and another concerns a separate development Mr Hammond was not able to comment on.

"We have had some problems over planning applications but I'm hopeful they can now be negotiated," added Mr Hammond.

The Partnership has already provided a minibus service and has involved Evesham Light Railway, which now has carriages equipped to take wheelchairs.

Integration

"We are looking at an integrated footpath, road, rail and river service which also encompasses the environmental concerns associated with the river and surrounding areas," added Mr Hammond. "And I'm confident it will happen."