Crinan Opens For New Season

31 March 2006

Spring is in the air and the Crinan Canal is preparing for the new season following the completion of a busy winter maintenance programme.

Although the canal will reopen on Monday 3 rd April, a new seven day opening schedule will be implemented from 10 th April through to 24 September.

The winter works programme saw a number of works carried out across the canal including refurbishment programmes at Ardrishaig swing bridge and the facilities block at Cairnbaan. Embankment repairs were also carried out and maintenance dredging was undertaken between Cairnbaan and Ardrishaig to ensure safe navigation for British Waterways customers. The dredged material was sustainably reused to improve agricultural land adjacent to the canal.

Commenting on the reopening of the canal David Lyon , Customer Operations Manager at British Waterways Scotland, said: "We have had a busy winter shutdown but we are now up and running again and looking forward to welcoming a host of visitors to the Crinan Canal for the 2006 season.

"As part of our continuous improvement programme we consulted widely with our customers to find out what additional services they would like to see on the canal. As a result of this consultation we have taken the decision to offer a continuous service through the summer months with a new timetable which will see the canal open seven days a week."

As the 200 year old waterway prepares to open for the 2006 season, waterway users are being asked to spare a couple of hours to help spring clean Ardrishaig beach on the afternoon of Saturday 8 April.

The event will bring important wildlife benefits as well as improving the appearance of the canal and is part of a week long UK wide Towpath Tidy campaign being led by British Waterways and voluntary groups. For further details on how to take part, please contact David Lyon on 01463 725 532.

Ends

Issued on behalf of British Waterways by Wave PR. For further information contact Chris Bell , Tel: 0141 303 8390 Mobile : 07974 692 330.

Note to Editors

British Waterways Scotland

Responsibility for inland waterways in Scotland is a devolved matter, with funding for British Waterways' Scottish activities coming from the Scottish Executive. In Scotland the 137 mile (220km) canal network includes the Caledonian, Crinan, Forth & Clyde, Union and Monkland canals.

British Waterways Scotland works in partnerships with local authorities, voluntary groups, private companies and other government agencies to protect and enhance the waterways and benefit the communities through which they run.

The organisation balances the conservation of the country's heritage and environment with developing commercial opportunities to generate income to reinvest in the waterways for further sustainable regeneration.