Funding for improvements to Kildonan - Loth road
The Kildonan to Loth road (U2810) is to be improved thanks to funding from the Scotland Strategic Timber Transport Fund.
This project will deliver a number of improvements to a 4.7km section of the road to allow the movement of timber lorries into the area to access approximately 136,000 tonnes of timber from three forests.
The works has already started and is due to be completed by December 2016.
The Strategic Timber Transport Fund, managed by Forestry Commission Scotland, finances projects that minimise impact on fragile roads, and deliver community and environmental benefits.
It also supports the Timberlink shipping service, which brings timber across the Firth of Clyde.
Other partners in the project are the Torrish Estate, Kildonan Estate and The Highland Council.
Derek Nelson, Forestry Commission Scotland’s Business Development Policy Advisor, said: “The funding contribution will amount to £87,197 or just over a third of the projects total cost.
“This will open up some landlocked forests that have been affected by considerable windblow from recent storm events. It’s the only practical way to access a considerable area of landlocked timber.
“Removing the windblown timber will lessen the potentially negative impact on water quality that comes from windblown timber and it will also improve the views of the landscape, which will help on this route that is increasingly being promoted as a tourist route.”
The Timber Transport Fund has helped to deliver projects all across the country, all of which help to reduce the impacts of “timber miles” on public roads. Reducing the presence of industry traffic benefits small, rural communities and also makes tourist routes that little bit more attractive to drive.
