Update: Engineering Works on the Falkirk Flight of the Forth & Clyde Canal

We are half-way through our major engineering programme on the Falkirk Flight of the Forth & Clyde Canal (from locks 3 to 16). It is the biggest single investment in Scotland’s canals since the Millennium Link Project re-opened our historic Lowlands canal network almost 25 years ago.

The works will ensure that the canal remains open, navigable and in a safe condition for generations to come, as well as:

• Preventing the possibility of future failure of infrastructure.
• Keeping our canal and neighbouring estate safe and in good condition for walking, cycling and a variety of activities.
• Using contemporary methods and upgraded materials to extend the lifetime of gates and key assets to 35 years+.
• Supporting safe water control through the towns and cities built around the historic waterways as we respond to a changing, wetter climate.

A robust canal is vital to fulfilling our responsibilities to support climate change mitigation in Scotland. It also ensures that we can continue to expand opportunities for active travel, biodiversity and ecology, culture and community.

The Engineering Programme
Our Engineering & Infrastructure Team initiated the works to address concerns raised during routine inspections of the canal. The contractor responsible for fulfilling the works programme and for managing the construction site (a half mile of the canal) is Mackenzie Construction Ltd.

Oak lock gates typically last around 25 years in the water, where they are subject to enormous pressures, constant use and all kinds of weather conditions. The gates on the Falkirk Flight were showing clear signs of degradation: to maintain safe operation of the canal and prevent future failure of the gates, we decided to take pre-emptive action. We are replacing 10 sets of lock gates altogether: the downstream gates at locks 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15and 16, plus the upstream gates at Lock 16. While the current gates are made of oak, the new ones will be made from steel (at Lock 16) and sustainably sourced ekki, a hardwood with at least a 40% longer life expectancy. 

All other upstream gates that are showing signs of degradation are being repaired and replanked. All of these gates will also need full replacement, but the replanking will extend their lifetime by several years. This approach will minimise costs and disruption to the local community: a future replacement programme for the upstream gates will not entail dewatering the canal, road closures or any lengthy towpath closures.

While navigation is suspended on the canal, we are also taking the opportunity to install a bypass at Lock 16, which will allow us to divert water to the lower sections of the canal without operating the gates and will reduce diesel-fuelled over-pumping. Lock bypasses are increasingly being deployed on canals as a way of exercising better control overwater levels, and in response to the increased pressure on the canal as climate change brings wetter and more extreme weather. Read our Lock Bypass Explainer. 

With the opportunity to access parts of the canal that are normally underwater, we are continuing to inspect the canal’s structure and undertaking necessary repairs as we go.

The programme is scheduled to run from November 2024 to March 2026. You can view the timeline of works below.

Key Dates

As with all civil engineering works, the dates below are subject to change. We will provide updates through our stakeholder outreach, leaflet drops for residents, local media, and on our digital communication channels.

Working with heritage infrastructure
Our programme is a challenging one from an engineering perspective: it is the first time we have dewatered such a large section of a canal to conduct works. We are also working on a Scheduled Monument that is now 235 years old. While the Forth & Clyde Canal was a feat of engineering at the time – the world’s first sea-to-sea canal – there is always an element of uncertainty about what we will find once we dewater or excavate within it.

Work on the Monument is done in strict accordance with legislation (the canal network itself is subject to more than 140 pieces of legislation) and in agreement with Historic Environment Scotland. Added to the cautious approach needed for such a structure, we are also navigating around a variety of utilities (some modern, and some historic), some of which are uncharted.
Scheduled Monument Consents were granted for this project by Historic Environment Scotland and included a condition for a programme of Archaeological Monitoring at Lock (now completed).

Diversion routes during the works
All navigation is suspended along the Falkirk Flight of the canal until the end of the works programme in March 2026 (the canal is always closed for boat movements from November to April each year). The temporary towpath diversion remains in place until the end of August. During the planning stage, our team did consider the possibility of placing a temporary footbridge over Lock 16, which is a prime route for pedestrians. This solution was not possible due to the lack of space available around scaffolding, plant equipment and excavations. Work on the gates is ongoing across the other locks too, which means that the existing footbridge at Lock 14 remained the best option for a diversion.

To excavate around Lock 16, we also had to apply for a temporary road closure over the Lock 16 Bridge for eight weeks, which was then extended to 1st August. We remain on track to complete the bypass works in time to start rewatering the canal and lift the road closure by the end of July.

There may be temporary traffic controls on Glenfuir Road for short periods of time as we lift out the lock gates and install the new ones. We will provide information in advance of these dates to local stakeholders (including residents, local businesses, schools, and community councils), and on our social channels.

We are very grateful for the patience of the local community during this period. You can find updates about the project on our Ongoing Works page. Our enquiry line is 0141 332 6936 (Monday to Thursday 8.30am-5pm and Friday 8.30am -4.30pm)
and our email address is enquiries@scottishcanals.co.uk