Rural roads in Moray will receive improvements worth more than £240,000 to ensure their future use as part of the timber trade.
Moray Council has been awarded a £122,000 Scottish Government grant to maintain routes which “play a vital part” in enabling the area’s timber industry to thrive.
And that sum is being matched by the authority, from a new budget which sets aside cash specifically for work on roads used by forestry vehicles.
The money will be ploughed into edge-straightening work on the C13E Dallas-Knockando route and the C25E near Roseisle.
Carriageway recycling will be performed on the U105E Garrowslack road near Mosstowie.
Chairman of Moray Council’s planning and regulatory services committee, Chris Tuke, claimed that the move would be a boost for the thriving timber industry and for residents who use the roads.
Mr Tuke said: “The timber industry is hugely important to the Moray economy and this funding, along with the funding already earmarked by the council, will help facilitate harvesting and extracting operations.
“This contribution is most welcome and will help to alleviate the wear and tear on narrow rural roads.”
The £122,000 has been awarded by the Scottish Timber Transport Scheme, in recognition of how important the heavily-forested area is to the business.
The council’s opposition SNP group hailed the pledge, and stressed the importance of those rural roads being properly maintained.
Their spokesman for economic development and infrastructure, Graham Leadbitter, said: “Timber production is a significant part of Moray’s economy and a major employer.
“As with any industry, it puts pressure on particular parts of our infrastructure, notably some of our rural roads.
“It is important these roads are invested in and well maintained. This significant grant will enable Moray Council to get more road improvements done than would otherwise be the case.”