The recent news of a further £900,000 of Government funding being committed to new projects to protect “fragile rural roads” in Scotland has highlighted the importance of effective transport schemes to the timber industry, which is worth an estimated £1.1 billion annually to the Scottish economy. The funding builds on £1.1m already committed to other schemes this year, including the TimberLINK coastal shipping project.

Approximately 6 million tonnes of timber are harvested in Scotland each year and transport by road forms an essential part of the supply chain process, with over 96% of movement by volume being carried out by HGVs. Given this, it is unsurprising that the condition and availability of public roads are key considerations for the timber sector. Due to the nature of rural roads a number of issues can arise, such as: 

  • Lack of appropriate passing places
  • Narrow single lane roads
  • Additional wear on road surfaces; and
  • Proximity of timber haul routes to towns and homes.

By investing in new projects to upgrade and strengthen existing routes, the Scottish Government aims to address the issues faced by the industry as well as the challenges which can be posed to other users of routes which are designated for timber haulage.

Public funding primarily comes through the Strategic Timber Transport Fund (“STTF”). The STTF was established in 2005 with the aim of reducing the impact of timber transport on roads, communities and the environment. Whilst this can mean that funding is targeted at upgrading and strengthening existing roads, such as in the case of these newly announced projects, the STTF also provides funding for schemes which support the movement of timber away from local communities. Brodies has previously written about one of these schemes to remove timber from Rannoch Forest by rail.

Timber Transport Forum

The STTF works alongside the Timber Transport Forum (“TTF”) which is a partnership organisation that brings together the timber industry, local authorities and community organisations to promote voluntary measures to improve timber transport.

Hauliers, forest managers and local authorities are encouraged to become members of the TTF and the relevant regional timber transport group in order to promote best practice. Best practice can include ensuring the use of technology such as tyre-pressure control systems to protect weak roads, co-ordinating loads between operators and the sharing of infrastructure where appropriate.

In addition to this best practice, the TTF also maintains an “Agreed Routes” Map which has been developed between timber transport groups and local authorities in an effort to identify the most suitable routes for timber haulage based on their capacity to sustain timber transport.

The Agreed Routes Map identifies four main categories of road:

Agreed Routes

    • These routes do not have any restrictions on their use for timber haulage other than the general statutory conditions which apply to use of roads. “A” roads are assumed to be Agreed Routes unless they have specifically been given another classification.

    Consultation Routes

    • Consultation routes are acknowledged as being key routes for timber transport but which do not meet the standard to be an Agreed Route. “B” roads are assumed to be consultation routes unless covered by another classification. If a road is identified as a consultation route then hauliers and other parties responsible for organising timber transport require to consult with the relevant local authority to agree limits in relation to timing, tonnage and other factors before haulage can take place.

    Severely Restricted Routes

    • These routes are usually not in a condition which would be suitable for timber haulage, but without quite meeting the standard of an excluded route. Consultation with the relevant local authority is required to agree a suitable traffic management regime before the route can be used for timber haulage.

    Excluded Routes

    • Excluded routes have generally been formally restricted by the relevant local authority and are not suitable for timber haulage. There is generally no prospect of sufficient mitigation being put in place to protect the road and consultation with the local authority will therefore be required to agree a suitable alternative route to allow haulage to take place.

    It is important to note that the TTF is not a regulatory body and responsibility for building and maintaining public roads as well as providing funds for road improvements continues to lie with the relevant local authority and the Scottish Government.

    News of this additional funding will be welcomed by both the timber industry, for which an adequate road network is fundamental, and also by local communities, keen to ensure the protection of existing infrastructure. 

    Please contact your usual Brodies contact or a member of the Brodies Rural Business & Natural Capital team if you would like support with forestry, timber transport or rural development matters

    Contributor

    Simon Boendermaker

    Associate