Scottish timber transport initiatives have received a double boost with the announcement of extra funding and a survey to spot trends in the sector.
The Scottish government has announced that the Strategic Timber Transport Fund, which was due to close in January 2008, is to be extended to 2011 and will offer £15m of funding over the three-year period.
This will be coupled with the Scottish Timber Miles survey, which will be undertaken every three years to assess the impact of timber haulage in Scotland. It will be similar to food miles surveys and will “guide the sustainable development of the forest industry”.
“The latest round of the Strategic Timber Transport Scheme (STTS) approved a further three projects that will deliver many benefits, which range from reducing disruption to rural communities, protecting fragile public roads, exploring options for further seas transport thus reducing the environmental impact and help tackle climate change,” said Scottish environment minister Michael Russell.
“The Scottish Timber Miles Survey will support the fund by helping to identify trends in the haulage of timber.”
Applications for funds from the STTS are assessed by representatives from Scotland’s Timber Transport Forum and Regional Timber Transport Groups.
