Based in Glasgow, Scottish Canals cares for 137 miles (220 km) of waterway network in total, including 17 reservoirs and the navigation rights to four lochs, including Loch Ness. The body is responsible for five canals.[4]
British Waterways was founded in 1962 under the Transport Act, taking over statutory responsibility for operating and maintaining waterways across Great Britain.
In 2010 the UK Government determined that responsibility for inland waterways in England and Wales should pass to a new charitable trust, the Canal & River Trust. However, the Scottish Government decided that canals in Scotland would remain publicly owned and British Waterways would continue to operate in Scotland as a statutory corporation trading as Scottish Canals.[5] This public body became wholly accountable to Scottish Ministers with effect from 2 July 2012.[1] Legally, the organisation is still referred to as the British Waterways Board, but in all other aspects it uses the brand Scottish Canals.[6] In 2017, with a workforce of around 250 people, it was accredited as a Scottish Living Wage employer.[7]
In April 2020, Scottish Canals changed from operating as a public corporation to a non-departmental public body.[8] This change in designation was made by HM Treasury the previous because it did not generate half its revenues externally.[9]
Notes: 1 Contains canalised river. 2 Partly or mostly navigable, and/or under restoration. 3 A system of canals. Canals which form part of this system are not listed here individually.
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