THE inaugural passenger trip up the River Tawe is now just weeks away, the group behind the plans has said.

Swansea Community Boat Trust chairman Charles White said its barge, The Black Prince, needed some work before she could sail.

The 23-tonne vessel is currently berthed at the city's dry docks but is likely to be moved to a separate venue for repair.

"In two to three weeks we will hopefully be back at Swansea at the (Swansea) museum pontoon, and then we're all ready to go," said Mr White.

The project has been years in the making and Mr White remains adamant that there is sufficient interest in the trips from Swansea Marina to a bridge near the Liberty Stadium.

Onboard guides will tell passengers about the Tawe's central importance to Swansea's industrial rise.

The Black Prince will have displays and drawings illustrating, among other things, the docks in Victorian times, medieval ships and the legendary Copperopolis era.

Mr White said the barge could not travel further upstream than the old bascule bridge, near the Liberty, on safety grounds, but hoped this restriction might be lifted in due course.

He said the trust now had a qualified skipper, a boat manager who is also a skipper, plus trained crew volunteers.

The barge has capacity for 50 passengers and was purchased thanks to a £40,000 grant from Visit Wales. Money has also come from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and local companies.

Mr White thanked Swansea Council and Swansea Museum for allowing The Black Prince to moor at the pontoon.

"It has been a long trek," said Mr White. "A lot of people have put in a lot of effort."

He said trips would take around two hours and cost approximately £7 per person, with reductions for families and group bookings.

He added: "We have had a number of provisional bookings and we are looking for community groups to take up the capacity. We are confident that interest has been shown and that it is a long-term, viable project."

richard.youle@swwmedia.co.uk