Transport Scotland has provided funding for the project, including the extra allocation of 拢5.35m made available to Scottish Canals in November 2018.
鈥淭he additional funding is enabling Scottish Canals to undertake critical repairs which will allow boaters to continue to navigate the waterways for years to come,鈥� said Michael Matheson, cabinet secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity. 鈥淲hile there may be some short-term disruption, the works are essential to the future of the Caledonian and Union canals. These repairs will be in addition to the scheduled maintenance that Scottish Canals will carry out in 2019 as part of its asset management programme 鈥� including critical embankment works at Linlithgow.
鈥淥ur canal network plays a vital role in tourism and economic regeneration. To secure the future of the network, we intend to increase Scottish Canals funding to record levels in the Scottish Budget for 2019/20 in recognition of the challenges faced in maintaining our historic waterways.鈥�
Catherine Topley, chief executive of Scottish Canals, said: 鈥淭his additional funding is fantastic news and will help us to safeguard the incredible heritage assets of Scotland鈥檚 canals for future generations to enjoy.
鈥淭hese 200-year-old waterways play a vital role in local communities and Scotland as a whole, contributing to the marine economy; attracting tourists, visitor spend and investment; as well as stimulating job creation and business growth.
鈥淲hile managing these historic assets is not without its challenges, we are committed to continuing to work with the Scottish Government and our partners to ensure they continue to deliver benefits for all the people of Scotland.鈥�
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