Saying Goodbye To A Sizzling Summer Across The Network!

As the nights start to get longer and the air turns a bit colder, it seems like a good time to reflect upon a highly successful season for both the canal network and The Falkirk Wheel. Our continued drive to increase the awareness of Scotland's canals and to challenge existing perceptions has been the driver behind all our activity. This is part 1 of 3.

Starting with the canal network itself, we ran two outdoor campaigns back in June - one in Edinburgh, one in Inverness. Both consisted of a targeted door drop to residents who live along the canal corridor outlining all the different activities that they can enjoy by visiting their local canal. This was backed up by outdoor posters and billboards strategically placed along the main commuter arteries to maximise visibility.

In the immediate aftermath of the campaigns, our pedestrian counter numbers during July rose by an average of 48% in the Edinburgh area compared to the corresponding figure for 2008. In Inverness that increase was 28% and Fort Augustus enjoyed a more modest 4% rise, although it was starting from an infinitely higher base line with it being a popular tourist destination.

Obviously this is unsustainable as you would expect a large spike in usage immediately after the campaign. However, the overall visits to all of Scotland's inland waterways has increased by 4.38% when compared to the same period last year.

Keep checking back over the next few days for a report on The Falkirk Wheel's performance over the season.