Union Canal remains closed to through traffic following August breach
AS REPORTED last month, a one-in240-years weather event on August 12 resulted in a significant breach of around 30m on the Union Canal, between Polmont and Muiravonside.
Scottish Canals took immediate action and stop planks were installed in Linlithgow to the east of the site and sandbags at the A801 and Vellore Road bridges to the west of the breach to stem the flow of water. Following this initial response, improvements were made to the emergency dams to completely stop the flow of water.
Once water levels had returned to normal on the eastern side of the breach, where the water feed is located, pumping from the east to the west side was started. It’s interesting to note that the length of the canal and the volume of water meant that levels around Linlithgow didn’t drop much at all.
No one was injured. However the breach has affected the mainline Edinburgh to Glasgow railway, disrupting services while repairs are carried out over the next 6-7 weeks. The embankment at the site of the breach is about 4m on one side and 6m on the other (the side of the breach). The height of the embankment at the site of the breach was 6m above the field below.
It is expected that the railway will take several months to be repaired, at a cost of £7-10 million. Local boating is possible either side of the breach, but the canal will remain closed to through traffic for some time.
At the time of writing, Scottish Canals are still to announce funding and timescales for a permanent repair although the organisation is working hard to ensure that the canal will be fully operational by the start of the 2021 season.
In the meantime, weirs are being kept clear and the level of canal either side of the breach is being kept down, to provide more capacity for rainfall and water run-off from fields and roads. are future opportunities for canals to be major 21st-century assets, ensuring that the behind-the-scenes engineering delivers safe navigations, flood defences and water management for the next 250 years and beyond.
Scottish Canals have worked with partners to provide a towpath diversion, providing a safe and accessible route to both walkers and cyclists taking them around the site of the breach. The Union Canal towpath forms part of the John Muir Way and National Cycle Network 754. The diversion is signposted.