Privatising will pull plug on canal use, warns MSP

There has been speculation about the future of the organisation, which owns 2,200 miles of canals across Britain, after the UK government listed its property portfolio as a candidate for a 16 billion sale of public assets.

Today, SNP Lothians MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville called for reassurances about the future of British Waterways and demanded that canals should be kept in full public ownership.

An estimated 11 million people in the UK make use of the canals in their everyday life and half the population lives within half a mile of one.

Ms Somerville praised the Union Canal in Edinburgh as a "fantastic community resource".

She said: "It's is used by a huge number of Edinburgh residents – as a route to work, to walk the dog, or for a leisurely afternoon stroll. It's a huge asset for the city and I am absolutely clear it should remain in public hands."

Last month, the Evening News revealed plans for a "canal quarter" stretching from Harrison Park in Merchiston to the Lochrin Basin at Fountainbridge which was intended to provide the springboard for a new lease of life along the waterway.

Ms Somerville said: "When you look at some of the areas that have worked really well with canals in Edinburgh, it's places like the Edinburgh Quay development, which was hardly used before.

"That was a partnership involving the Miller Group and British Waterways, so we're not saying there is no place for that kind of involvement.

"My concern is if British Waterways was privatised you would see much more emphasis on things like property development, where all the big money can be made and not things like getting local schoolchildren down to experience the canal or encouraging local people to use it.

"Privatisation would inevitably mean large sections of the canal would become neglected as companies focused solely on the profitable parts."

Although the administration of canals is devolved to the Scottish Parliament, campaigners say there are questions about who controls British Waterways' ownership of canals in Scotland.

A motion has been tabled at Holyrood, calling on the UK Government not to sell British Waterways and to ensure a different long-term solution for Scotland.

Ms Somerville urged Edinburgh residents to join the campaign to save the canals from privatisation by signing a petition on the 10 Downing Street website.

She said: "Although there is plenty of room for further development, British Waterways has done a decent job of opening up canals for public enjoyment. This is just the London government selling off the family silver to help plug the huge hole they've allowed to develop in the public finances".

A spokeswoman for the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "National assets are under review. No decisions have been made."