A new grant system designed to help minimise the impact of timber transport on Scotland’s rural roads is preparing to open for business.
The criteria and procedures of the £13m Timber Transport Fund, to be administered by Forestry Commission Scotland, will be published during March for people to prepare their funding applications.
Projects which could receive money include those developing in-forest roads so timber lorries can avoid using fragile minor public roads or local communities, as well as improvements which help link forests to sea and rail loading facilities.
The Scottish Executive, which is providing the funding, says such schemes are needed to cope with the extra lorry movements required by a projected doubling of the national timber harvest during the next 10-15 years.
Forestry Commission Scotland has been working closely with the Timber Transport Forum and regional timber transport groups, including local councils, forest owners, hauliers and wood processors in drawing up the fund criteria.
Forum members and the regional groups will serve on assessment panels which will award the grants.