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SCOTLAND'S CANALS: an asset for the future
Public Access
3.15 The Scottish countryside has long been valued as a place for recreation. For many, the countryside provides the opportunity to escape from the pressures of modern day living through relaxation, refreshment and physical challenge as well as learning about and appreciating our natural heritage. The Scottish Executive is committed to providing greater opportunity for people to enjoy the countryside.
3.16 The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill was introduced to Parliament on 27 November 2001. Part 1 of the Bill will establish rights of responsible access for recreational purposes to all land and inland water in Scotland, subject to BW retaining its ability to ensure the safe and proper management of its canal network. We anticipate the Bill will be implemented by early 2003.
3.17 It will be a requirement that those exercising the right of access do so responsibly and guidance on this will be set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. The legislation will also include measures for the proper management of access to ensure the privacy of those who live in the countryside and to safeguard land and water management activities. SNH will take forward the work programme arising from the right to responsible access to land and inland water for recreation and passage.
3.18 BW recognises that its canals and their towpaths are an important recreational resource and welcomes well managed access. Some of the opportunities for walkers and cyclists are outlined elsewhere and BW will continue to explore the possibilities of use of the canals themselves where this would not interfere with their commercial operation or compromise safety.
3.19 Safety issues will remain at the top of BW's agenda in managing the canals. The more the network is used and revitalised, so supervision levels will increase which should help to reduce the risk of serious accidents. In addition, an important element of BW's education strategy is building strong relationships with local schools, and in so doing developing canal awareness and safety among young children.
Integrated Transport
3.20 Canals are not often seriously considered for regular transport use in getting from A to B - be this for people or freight. This, however, would be too superficial a view of things. Canals can play a more varied role.
3.21 It is not just the watercourse that can play a part. Towpaths - which are being renovated and improved in many parts of the Scottish canal network - can be an ideal pathway for use by cyclists and walkers. Cyclists and walkers can use some of the sections in urban areas for journeys to work, shops or services. SUSTRANS - the sustainable transport charity - have incorporated some sections of the towpaths along the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal into the National Cycle Network.
3.22 For walkers, there are already many opportunities to get safely from one place to another without trouble from road traffic or steep gradients! Canals are also excellent for long-distance walking such as the Great Glen Way. For walkers and cyclists, there are also plans to link the Lowland canals' towpaths to the Great Glen. Local circular routes should also be linked with medium distance walks, possibly with rail return, and other long-distance routes such as the Pennine Way and West Highland Way.
3.23 The Executive wishes to encourage walking in both rural and urban areas. Our policies encourage a land use planning approach that:
3.24 There are increased prospects of utilising canals as waterborne public transport with the regeneration of the Lowland canals. Although constrained in some areas where locks are in place, the Forth & Clyde, and Union Canals have stretches of waterway where opportunities can be developed in this respect. This could be of particular benefit in the Edinburgh area as the Union Canal now reaches into the heart of Edinburgh at Lochrin basin.
3.25 BW is developing a fleet of modern amphibian vehicles that allow travel both on the roads and in the water. These will provide recreational opportunities for the public throughout the canal system.
3.26 The Executive and BW believe there may be increasing potential for the development of freight traffic on Scotland's canals. However, even with the recent encouragement given to rail and waterborne freight, the vast majority of freight moves by road. Any targets set therefore need to be realistic. So, whilst keen to engender enthusiasm for realising canals' potential, this enthusiasm needs to be tempered with the knowledge that for low bulk or time-critical goods, canal traffic will never be able to compete with other transport modes.
3.27 With this in mind, there is more likely to be a place for waterway freight projects involving large bulk goods that do not require 'just in time' delivery. Particularly important in making such projects financially viable, is the need to identify and obtain a commodity for the return journey. Short-haul movements on stretches of canal where speed is not fettered by locks, may also be possible on the Lowland canals.
3.28 BW is looking at a number of possibilities including the carriage of timber along the Caledonian Canal. In addition, Ardrishaig (at the entrance to the Crinan) is already contributing to the modal shift from road to water and BW are considering submitting a Freight Facilities Grant bid for improvements that will allow a further increase in traffic.
3.29 The Scottish Executive will welcome any plans/ideas to stimulate freight movement onto canals. The Executive will examine any valid applications received from BW (and others) for developing freight that takes lorries off roads and fits within the criteria of the Freight Facilities Grant Scheme for inland waterways. The Scottish Executive extended this scheme through the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 to include coastal and short-sea shipping routes. If you wish further information about eligibility and procedures, please contact the Scottish Executive, tel. 0131-244 1463 (e-mail
ian.farmer@scotland.gsi.gov.uk ).
3.30 The Scottish Executive expects all relevant local authorities to take positive and adequate account of the canal in formulating transport plans for their areas. This will include the role of the towpath as a safe route for cycling and walking as well as the use of the waterway for passenger and freight transport.
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Bellanoch Bay, Crinan Canal |
Environment
3.31 Scotland's canals are a haven for a wide variety of animals, fish and plants facilitated by the fact that towpaths are on one side only. Canals, like other linear habitats such as railways, provide wildlife with excellent corridors that link and allow movement between habitats. They provide great potential to secure and improve Scotland's biodiversity particularly along the Lowland canals. There is a surprisingly wide range of wildlife and plants there already and with careful environmental management of the new and existing stretches of canal this variety should increase in the future. Already some rare birds and aquatic plants have become established and are commonplace in and around our canals.
3.32 This diverse canal wildlife resource in Scotland has been recognised and several areas have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). There are 22 SSSIs on or within 500m of the Scottish canals. The canal network's natural heritage value is also recognised at European level through proposed designation of a number of sites as Special Areas for Conservation and Special Protection Areas under the European Habitats Directive.
3.33 The two canals of the Millennium Link have also been designated coarse fish waters (such as for pike, perch and eels) under the European Directive on Freshwater Fisheries. They are the only waters in Scotland to have this designation. As part of this Directive, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) makes annual tests of the water quality and reports every 3 years to the European Commission.
3.34 The water quality of the Highland canals as monitored by SEPA, is already classified as 'A1 - excellent'. In the Lowland canals it is too early to have any definite results, however, some areas are showing significant improvement.
3.35 BW has produced a framework for waterway wildlife strategies to encourage further the development of aquatic and wildlife habitats along the canals. The framework aims to integrate biodiversity management into BW's business activities and help local management teams prepare biodiversity plans for each waterway. These will be integrated into local biodiversity action plans that all Scottish local authorities are now developing.
3.36 There are also plans to improve signs and interpretation alongside canals, so users can become more aware of the waterways' biodiversity. A walk, for instance, along the recently renovated towpath of the Union Canal in West Lothian will reveal a surprising profusion of plants and wildlife within the canal habitat. The Executive wants to encourage people to visit these facilities - they will be in for a pleasant surprise!
3.37 Looking further into the future, the implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) will provide us with an opportunity to help safeguard the quality of the environment in and around our canals. The Directive will require the setting up of a system of management of the water environment, based around natural river basin districts. Within each river basin district, we will have to assess the environmental condition of surface and ground waters. Programmes of measures will be put in place to achieve 'good status' for most of our rivers, lochs, estuaries, coastal waters and ground waters. Artificial water bodies, like canals, are also included in this scheme and, subject to navigation, they will have to achieve the best possible ecological condition.
3.38 The first stage in implementing the Directive is to incorporate its provisions into Scots Law by the end of 2003. The Executive will introduce legislation into the Scottish Parliament to do this and we intend to take an open and inclusive approach to the implementation of the Directive, consulting fully on its proposals for implementing the Directive at each stage. The Executive recognises that BW Scotland will have a role to play in its implementation.
Tourism
3.39 The rebirth of a cross-Scotland waterway linking Glasgow to Edinburgh and sea to sea gives us an opportunity to create an entirely new product for the country. The Lowland canal network - and particularly the unique Falkirk Wheel - has the potential to attract foreign boats into parts of Scotland not currently on the tourist map.
3.40 Experience in other parts of the country and abroad suggests that there
is a demand on the part of customers and potential customers for hire boat holidays, timeshare, residential boats and hotel boats. Experience also shows that, with ever improving standards in the tourism sector, and competition from other options open to tourists, quality will be a major factor in the growth of this new market. For example, the Falkirk Wheel attracted over 200,000 visitors in the first few months since its opening in June 2002. This can be compared to the yearly 1.2 million visitors to Edinburgh Castle - Scotland's most popular tourist attraction.
Crinan Canal
3.41 It is therefore important for VisitScotland and the industry to work closely with BW, to develop a product that will attract tourists - both from home and abroad, encourage return visits and thus benefit canal-side economies. This may be done through:
including canals in tourism publications and wider campaigns;
information on tourist attractions, public transport and car/bike hire available at appropriate points throughout the network;
information about all Scotland's canals and boat licensing options available at points of entry to the network;
improved canal-side facilities; and
a licensing regime to set the necessary standards for new operators.
Improvements to Navigation Facilities
3.42. Continued and growing use of the canals for navigation depends upon users being satisfied with their experience. Boating is, by and large, a premium-priced product and the transit sailing market in particular expects high quality facilities. Ideally, facilities at regular intervals would include:
Such facilities not only benefit tourists, but also play an important role in encouraging local usage of canals and towpaths.
3.43 The Executive encourages BW in Scotland to work with the private and public sectors in the delivery of such facilities. These need not be exclusive to any one particular group.
3.44 Each of Scotland's canals is a separate navigable entity. However, the coast links them. Working with Sail Scotland, Waterway Holidays UK and VisitScotland, BW should investigate how best to promote connections from the marinas, ports and berths around the coast and estuaries of south and central Scotland, into the Highlands. In this way, canal-side communities may benefit from 185 million spent annually by the marine leisure industry in Scotland, and the 89 million spent on boats, engines, etc.
Improvements to Facilities for Non-Boating Users
3.45 Multi use of the canals has, almost as a prerequisite, certain requirements:
Information to tell people what is available along the network, and where.
Information to help people understand the heritage around them.
Wide, surfaced paths, robust enough for cycles and smooth enough for wheelchair use.
Toilet facilities at regular intervals.
Seating at regular intervals - this is particularly valuable for people of limited or impaired mobility.
3.46 Attractive facilities for non-boating users will also encourage longer and repeated visits, and increase visitor spending. The Executive wants BW to work in partnership with the private and public sectors to provide:
3.47 In this way, we can take full advantage of the tourism and economic regeneration potential offered by the canals.
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