Argyll and Bute has secured £1.7m of the Scottish Government’s Timber Transport Fund.
The council has been successful in getting the largest share of the government's £6.6m fund which is earmarked for projects that minimise the impact of timber lorries in its rural road network.
The £1.7 million allocated to our local projects means that every £1 spent by the council has been almost doubled by the Scottish Timber Transport Fund (STTF). Total spend for timber roads’ improvements, including the council’s investment, will come to more than £2.7 million.
The works being undertaken will make it easier for local residents and businesses to share the roads. Getting timber off our own road network and improving journey times when shifting timber from forests to processing facilities is another major benefit of improving the network.
Roads that will see improvements by the joint funding by the council and STTF are:
- Lochgilphead – Oban strategic route;
- Lochawe haulage routes- B840, C30 and C29;
- Kintyre B842; and
- Strathlachlan, Cowal, B8000.
Councillor Ellen Morton, Depute Policy Lead for Roads and Amenity Services, said: “I welcome the news that the STTF has supported our roads improvement projects. It’s particularly encouraging to see that we have submitted quality projects, in a competitive process, that have secured three of the highest individual funding awards.
“Forestry is one of the key industry sectors in Argyll and Bute and it plays a vital part in growing our economy. As much as we encourage it, we recognise it has an impact on our infrastructure at a time when we, as a council, are making difficult choices about services. We are therefore delighted to be able to double our investment in roads to the benefit of our communities and our local businesses.”