Scottish Canals keeps up critical safety work during the shutdown
ALL Scottish Canals’ operations are closed, apart from activities which keep the canals safe or provide vital support to residential and other boaters, writes Cicely Oliver.
I caught up with Richard Millar, director of infrastructure, estates and operations, to learn how Scottish Canals is operating during the shutdown.
Critical work includes water control, and inspections of the canals and reservoirs when absolutely necessary. Scotland’s canals are supplied by 19 reservoirs, and the estate includes 90 locks, 98 road bridges, and 235 bridges (accommodation, foot, railway and towpath bridges).
The recent stretch of dry weather has helped in respect of water management. Heavy storms and flash floods can create issues across the canal network. On the Crinan, for example, there are a number of small reservoirs on the hills above the canals.
The fact that there is currently no boat movement on the canals makes the task of managing water along the waterways simpler.
However, the other side of the dry weather and the lack of lock movement is that it exacerbates potential issues with leaky pounds and lock gates drying out.
Plans are in place for when the canals can reopen, including vegetation control and weed cutting (the lack of boating and sunshine encouraging rampant weed growth), and checking the operation of locks and bridges. Maintenance and construction work will also restart.
One of the biggest challenges for Scottish Canals has been to persuade the public not to travel to the canals. The towpaths remain open as they are important for transport, for boaters’ access and are used by local communities for appropriate local exercise.
Projects on hold
All construction projects have stopped for the time being. Although stop planks are still in place, the piling project near Linlithgow is almost completed, with works on the embankment and towpath due for completion when the lockdown ceases.
In Fort Augustus, the lock gates are in place with the gate walkways still to be replaced. The diving surveys on the Crinan were completed before the shutdown and Scottish Canals is working on the lock gate design so that everything is ready for fabrication when this becomes possible.
Scottish Canals continues to support all boating customers, particularly residential boaters. Pump-outs are available and access to diesel and facility blocks has been provided.
Richard says that Scottish Canals is aware that the health benefits of the canals and their surroundings will be very important to people as restrictions on movement are relaxed. While he encourages everyone to stay safe and stay at home, it’s important to remember that once we get through the current situation, the canals and the spaces around them will be as important to people’s health and well-being as ever, and Scottish Canals will keep this firmly in mind as the country comes out of lockdown.