The South Bank is defined by the people who live and work here. We spoke to a select few locals to get their take on what makes south Leeds so special.
No1
MAKING WAVES
Water Taxi's Story
Chris is part of the team who work on the water taxis, ferrying people from Leeds Train Station to Leeds Dock and back. Their love of boats and the waterways anchors them in a strong community, moored just downstream from Leeds Dock, a stone’s throw from Points Cross.
A true expert on the local waterways, their passion for the neighbourhood is apparent in the fascinating facts and stories they had to tell us. We caught up with the Water Taxi crew to find out what they love so much about the neighbourhood.
When you're on the taxi, you get a totally different perspective and it adds another dimension to city life.
What makes this area so unique?
“Well the name Leeds, a lot of people have heard of Leodi, that’s a direct translation from an Anglo-Saxon word. It directly translates as ‘people of the fast flowing river’, so a lot of people have heard of Leodis but they don’t realise how integral the river is. A lot of people walk over the bridge and don’t think about the river but when you’re on the taxi you can see Leeds Bridge and all the history and the beauty of the bridge. You get it from a totally different perspective and it really sort of adds another dimension to city life. People really want to be by the water, don’t they? There’s something about it.”
What would you say makes this place somewhere you’d want to live?
“I think people do feel like it’s their place rather than just being a street that they happen to live on. I think people do – there’s some pride really in living here.”
Next time you’re on your way to the station, why don’t you take the water taxi as a calming way to get there?