Forestry not to blame for state of roads

Sir,

I was alarmed to read Ian Reid’s letter in The Oban Times (‘Public pay the price for forestry operations’) suggesting that the damage to the roads in recent months is due to increased timber haulage.

This is a completely false conclusion and, sadly, one which rears its ugly head from time to time in various communities throughout Argyll, Lochaber and other rural areas.

The B8001 between Kennacraig and Claonaig has not been used for timber haulage in recent months and large sections of the Tarmac have broken up in the month since Christmas.

The recent very wet weather (rainfall is now 25-30 per cent higher than in the 1970s), frost and thaw, increased bus frequencies and size, increased HGV size generally, heavy cranes (up to 80 tonnes) and wind turbine transport vehicles are all contributory factors to the present state of much of our roads network – as is the lack of maintenance of roadside drains and blocked-off lets which result in water sitting on the road instead of running off.

Over the past 20 years many thousands, if not, millions of lorry miles have been removed from public roads through the Scottish Timber Transport Scheme which provides funding for coastal shipping, in forest link roads and support to local councils to upgrade minor roads for timber and other heavy traffic.

For Mr Reid to suggest we leave the trees on the hillside is a sad reflection of the dedication of those who planted and maintained our forests as a renewable, sustainable and endless resource of great value to everyone in the UK – where we still import 75 per cent of our timber products. How much longer can other countries give away so much wood?

J Robin Dixon, Cairnbaan.