History of the Monkland Canal

Once the most successful of the Scottish canals, the Monkland Canal has seen huge changes - and is now experiencing an exciting transformation

Supplying a city

Connecting the coal mining areas of Monklands to Glasgow, the canal was built to keep the city supplied with coal.  The construction of ironworks at Coatbridge in the 1820s increased commercial traffic on the canal, reducing the impact of the growth of the railways.  The Monkland was linked to the Forth & Clyde Canal, and four branches were built to link to further ironworks.

The end of an era

Difficulties in linking to the River Clyde, coupled with the extent of the growing rail network, saw the cost of transporting cargo by the canal rise, and although improvements to the canal were made in an attempt to combat this, use of the canal declined.  In 1942 it was abandoned for navigation.

While the canal continued to act as the main water source for the Forth & Clyde Canal, sections of the canal were culverted and built over - much of the waterway now lies lost, buried beneath the M8 motorway.

A new life

Today, three watered sections of canal remain, and here partnership led initatives are breathing new life into the waterway.  While recognising the Monkland's importance to Scotland's industrial heritage, the canal has been transformed into a community greenspace.  Local people can explore these outdoor spaces, wildlife spotting, discovering the canal's past, or enjoying fantastic family events.