I almost fell down Clydebank canal footpath, the place is a state

John Hainey, from the Linnvale Litter Pickers in Clydebank, says disrepair and a lack of maintenance have made their efforts to clean up the Forth and Clyde canal unsafe.

The volunteers who dedicate their Sundays to pulling trolleys out of the water, along with other rubbish, want to see more effort made to make the waterway a place of pride for the town.

I almost fell down the canal footpath, this place has become a joke.(Image: Newsquest)

The boardwalk gave way.(Image: Newsquest)

Mr Hainey said: "On this day, Drumchapel Cycle Hub were having an outing, so we thought we would go to the canal and just tidy it up.

"We've got one of these big, long pickers, and the gentleman with the long picker walked onto the boards.

"Immediately, we heard a crack.

"I walked on to say, ‘What was that?’ And the whole thing started to give way."

Luckily, none of the litter pickers were hurt. However, they have been left angered that the canal has been left in "such a state."

The footpath, which has several uneven and fragile-looking planks, has not been cordoned off, and no sign has been erected despite the group raising the issue with Scottish Canals.

(Image: Newsquest)

(Image: Newsquest)

In addition, a nearby bridge has been cordoned off because it supposedly 'failed to close properly' after the last time it was used to let barges through.

Councillor Sophie Traynor.(Image: Contributed)

Councillor Sophie Traynor, for Clydebank Central, has been campaigning for more maintenance to keep the area from looking dilapidated.

She said: "I am disappointed by the lack of maintenance and upkeep of the canal, especially around the town centre area, in recent years. 

"The longer these repairs are left, the further they will deteriorate, making them even more expensive to deal with and increasing the risk of a serious incident taking place due to the health and safety aspect of it.

"Since being made aware of the extent of the problem, I have reached out to both Scottish Canals and West Dunbartonshire Council to discuss the matter and will continue to push for action to be taken to deal with the repairs and improve the area for local residents."

(Image: Newsquest)

Cllr Traynor says she has written to Scottish Canals requesting a meeting regarding the issues.

A Scottish Canals spokesperson said: "We are aware of issues with the dumping of trollies and litter into the canal and problems with graffiti and vandalism of walkways in the area. This anti-social and illegal behaviour is unsightly and causes safety and environmental risks for people using the canals, our team and the local wildlife.

“The issues raised are not ones that Scottish Canals can tackle alone. Where the behaviour is criminal, there needs to be police involvement and to tackle issues such as trollies being dumped in the canal, local supermarkets can take ownership by securing and recovering trollies that have been taken off-site. We are in regular contact with the council to discuss these issues and find ways of working together to tackle anti-social behaviours.

“Scottish Canals carry out regular inspections across our 141 miles of canal network and prioritise our extremely limited resources to the works which will ensure the safety of the public and bring the widest possible benefits for all the people of Scotland.

“We are particularly grateful for the work of local volunteers who help us to care for the canal and would welcome a meeting with the Linnvale Litterpickers to discuss the issues they have raised and how we can work together moving forward.”