Earlier this year Dumfries & Galloway Council put together an ambitious bid to the Strategic Timber Transport Fund to improve 11 public road schemes across Dumfries and Galloway.
Of the 11 schemes submitted, 10 were successful and Dumfries and Galloway Council have just been awarded a total of £1.4M from the fund.
The grant awarded by the Strategic Timber Transport Fund equates to a total scheme value of £2.2M, which includes Council co-funding (£800,000).
Archie Dryburgh who Chairs the Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee said:
“This is excellent news for the region’s roads and this package of improvements provides vital support for the region’s timber transport and the Forestry Industry. In addition the work involved will be beneficial to other road users and reduces the ongoing maintenance costs of these roads. This bid was based on a strategic package of improvement measures across the region targeting priority forestry routes encompassing: strip widening, strengthening, creation of new passing places, cutting back of overhanging vegetation for sight lines / road safety, drainage improvements, installation of new culverts and improvement to existing culverts. Four of the proposed schemes are strategic cross-border routes and commonly feature steep topography, narrow road widths, and poor drainage.”
These much needed funds will allow for a programme of works to upgrade rural roads to accommodate an increased demand for forestry extraction over the next 10-20 years. The proposed schemes are as follows and will be integrated into the current Dumfries and Galloway Council Capital Works Programme for 2017/2018, where the co-funding has already been agreed by committee.
1) A708 Moffat to Scottish Borders boundary – provision of passing places, carriageway strengthening and drainage improvements.
2) B709 Langholm to Scottish Borders boundary – strengthening/reconstruction.
3) B723 Eskdalemuir village to Lockerbie – carriageway construction at haul road access/egress.
4) B7068 Langholm to Lockerbie – carriageway strengthening.
5) U300a Laverhay – significant drainage improvements, provision of passing places and carriageway strengthening/widening.
6) A709 Dumfries to Lockerbie – carriageway strengthening.
7) C46w A714 to South Ayrshire boundary – provision of passing places and carriageway strengthening/widening.
8) B7027 South Ayrshire boundary – provision of passing places and carriageway strengthening/widening.
9) C13s/B795 Connects the in forest haul route to the A713 – carriageway strengthening.
10) A712 Crofts – carriageway strengthening.
The benefits of these schemes are improved transport links / upgrading to the road network, improved road safety, reduces overall damage to the public road network / disruption in the long term and sustains local employment and the rural economy.
NOTE: Strategic Timber Transport Fund (STTF)
The Strategic Timber Transport Fund (STTF) was set up by the Scottish Government in 2005 in recognition of the challenge faced in getting timber to market. It is administered by the Forestry Commission Scotland in order “To facilitate the sustainable transport of timber in rural areas of Scotland for the benefit of local communities and the environment, maximising the value of monies available through innovative projects and partnerships”.
