Funding announced to reduce impact of timber lorries on Highlands' roads
Scottish Government funding amounting to over £500,000 has been awarded to projects in the Highlands that will reduce the impacts of timber lorries on rural roads.
In total, £527,600 has been awarded from the Strategic Timber Transport Fund which is managed by Scottish Forestry.
Around £6.6 million has been allocated right across Scotland through the fund.
The co-financed money in the region will go towards the improvement of rural and mainly minor roads. Emergency repairs on the A897 Helmsdale – Melvich road will also be carried out, as well as improvements to the A831 Cannich-Struy road.
Funding will also go to a tyre pressure control trial and to support the post of a timber transport project officer who gives advice across the Highlands.
Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing said: “Scotland’s £1 billion forestry industry is going from strength to strength, producing millions of tonnes of high quality timber every year that will greatly benefit our rural economy.
“However, it is important that we do what we can to mitigate the impact on local communities of increased volumes of timber coming to market.
“That is the key purpose of the Timber Transport Fund and it is encouraging to know that local authorities and forest owners continue to bring forward project ideas that will facilitate the sustainable transport of timber and ultimately benefit local communities and the environment.”
David Sulman of Confor, the Confederation of Forest Industries, and chair of the STTS Assessment Panel, said: “This funding is greatly needed to improve our rural roads to suit modern land uses such as forestry.
"Work on minor roads – whether it is strengthen the road surface, widening corners, adding traffic calming measures or providing passing places – makes it easier for local residents and business to share the rural road network.”
The projects supported not only ensure the continuing steady stream of quality timber to processors across the country but also reduce the number of road miles required to transport timber to market when shipping timber to market.
In addition, £800,000 has been awarded to support the TimberLINK shipping service which moves 80-100,000 tonnes of timber from forests in Argyll to markets in Ayrshire, taking nearly a million lorry miles off the public road.