£527,600 worth of road improvements announced by Scottish Government's Strategic Timber Transport Fund to help tackle impact of timber lorries on Highland Council roads in Inverness-shire, Nairn-shire and Sutherland
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MORE than half a million pounds will be spent to improve rural Highland roads that have been affected by increases in logging activity.
Some £527,600 has been awarded to several projects by the Scottish Government to help reduce the impact of timber lorries on roads in the Highland Council area.
It is part of a wider £6.6 million package awarded by the Strategic Timber Transport Fund across the whole of Scotland.
The co-financed money in the region will go towards the improvement of rural and mainly minor roads, including £210,000 on the A831 Cannich to Struy road, as well £71,500 on the U1547 Glencannich road and £70,000 on the B9091 Balblair road.
Further north, cash will also be spent to carry out emergency repairs on the A897 Helmsdale to Melvich road in Sutherland.
Elsewhere, funding will also go to a tyre pressure control trial, an analysis of the A897 (south) and B871 roads and will also support the post of a timber transport project officer who gives advice across the Highlands.
Announcing the funding, 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.”
