From the forest to the front door - £2 million timber transport boost

Cameron Edwards

Digital and Web Content Manager

Published: 10 Jul 2026

One of 650 UK timber lorries loading sustainably grown roundwood from Dumfries and Galloway’s forests for low impact delivery to our state of the art processing sector.

£900,000 has been allocated to the projects which include upgrades to existing fragile rural roads, creating passing places or building short routes to take timber traffic away from people’s homes.

A further £1.1 million has already been committed this year to funding ongoing initiatives including the TimberLINK coastal shipping project and a network of Regional Timber Transport officers across Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Timber Transport Fund is managed by Scottish Forestry and maximises the impact of public funding through co-funding partnerships with local authorities and industry.

“It is great to see Scotland’s forests and woodlands capturing what equates to 14% of Scotland’s gross greenhouse gases, generating thousands of sustainable and renewable products, accounting for a £1.1 billion contribution to Scotland’s economy, and providing over 34,000 jobs, many of which are in rural parts of Scotland.”

- Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands

Welcoming the ongoing contribution that the Strategic Timber Transport Fund makes across the country, Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands, Jim Fairlie MSP said:

“It is great to see Scotland’s forests and woodlands capturing what equates to 14% of Scotland’s gross greenhouse gases, generating thousands of sustainable and renewable products, accounting for a £1.1 billion contribution to Scotland’s economy, and providing over 34,000 jobs, many of which are in rural parts of Scotland.

“With around 6 million tonnes of timber being sustainably produced each year by our forests, I am keen to support the sector to work in partnership with local authorities and residents to reduce transport impacts and enable the delivery of social, environmental and economic benefits for our communities.

“The Strategic Timber Transport Fund is a great example of government agencies, local authorities, businesses and communities working in close collaboration to support, stimulate and strengthen local economies.”

New projects receiving funding

Dumfries and Galloway Council

Full reconstruction and resurfacing with improved drainage and kerbing to the Penpont village section of the A702.

South Ayrshire Council/Ayrshire Roads Alliance

Regulating, strengthening and general upgrades to the B734 road from Barr to Lamdoughty, creating safer access for local road users and timber lorries.

Argyll and Bute Council

Strengthening of the single track C29 where it meets the West Lochawe Timber Haul Route serving the wider Loch Avich basin.

Scottish Borders Council

Three projects upgrading sections of the B6357 between Dinalbyre and Kirndean, the B709 from just North of Blackhopebyres to Garvald Lodge, and the B6399 road South of Shankend.

Highland Council

Three projects on the single track A884 will make various structural, strengthening and safety improvements over 28.3 km of road near Lochaline, including creating 18 additional passing places

Full funding list

Lead	Project	Total project cost (£)	STTS award (£)
Argyll and Bute Council	C29 West Loch Awe THR	121,496	60,748
Ayrshire Roads Alliance	B734 Barr-Lamdoughty	141,020	70,510
Dumfries and Galloway Council	A702 Penpont Road	276,452	138,226
Scottish Borders Council	B6357 Dinalbyre to Kirndean	231,000	115,500
Scottish Borders Council	B709 Blackhopebyres to Garvald Lodge	337,500	168,750
Scottish Borders Council	B6399 South of Shankend	386,000	193,000
Highland Council	A884 Lochaline North	215,600	75,000
Highland Council	A884 Lochaline Central	215,600	75,000
Highland Council	A884 Lochaline South	143,800	50,000
Project Officers	Timber Transport Forum	32,750	27,000
Project Officers	Argyll	31,700	15,850
Project Officers	Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire	45,000	22,500
Project Officers	Grampian and Stirling and Tayside	48,000	24,000
Project Officers	Highland	50,000	32,000
Project Officers	South Scotland	61,900	32,800
Prep projects	Preparatory projects budget	20,000	20,000
Minor projects	Minor Projects budget	10,000	10,000
Modal shift	TimberLINK	945,000	920,000
TOTAL		3,312,818	2,050,884

Will there be continued funding?

Continued funding is also being provided this year for ongoing activity.

the TimberLINK project operates from Argyll using ships instead of lorries to move timber to wood processors in Ayrshire
a network of Regional Timber Transport Groups and the Timber Transport Forum provide a critical liaison between communities, local authorities, the forestry industry, and Scottish Forestry to assist with timber transport issues

Dr William Clark, Scottish Forestry’s Forest Transport and Innovation Advisor, added:

“By addressing transport issues collaboratively, we can improve quality of life for residents and enhance local road networks for communities and other businesses that rely on them, while maintaining the productivity and competitiveness of essential forestry operations.

“TimberLINK is a great example, with various companies working together to move around 75,000 tonnes of timber off the A83, avoiding thousands of lorry journeys and saving 1,700 tonnes Co2 equivalent emissions annually.

“By addressing transport issues collaboratively, we can improve quality of life for residents and enhance local road networks for communities and other businesses that rely on them, while maintaining the productivity and competitiveness of essential forestry operations. ”

- Dr William Clark, Scottish Forestry’s Forest Transport and Innovation Advisor

“Through these initiatives, local authorities, forest industry businesses, communities, and various government agencies are working together towards the common goal of a sustainable future.”

Did you know?

To date, £90 million funding support for timber transport projects across Scotland has been invested over the past 25 years realising projects worth £130 million through co-funding partnerships, helping:

452 projects get timber to market
reduce the impacts of millions of tonnes of timber on communities and improving the environment