A new report into the expected volume of timber freight movements across Victorian roads over the next five years has been released, which will assist in attracting essential funding to maintain local roads for the timber industry and wider community into the future. Source: Timberbiz
Timber Towns Victoria has announced the latest update of the Timber Industry Roads Evaluation Study (TIRES) 2023-2027, a joint initiative by local government through TTV, the Victorian State Government and industry.
The updated TIRES report identifies the strategic freight network required to ensure a safe, efficient, competitive, and sustainable timber industry in Victoria, leading to potential increases in regional employment, export growth, value of timber products and plantation area.
With funding support from the Department of Transport, the Hon Melissa Horne Minister for Roads and Road Safety said the report will help deliver better outcomes for the safe and efficient transportation of timber products in coming years, ultimately supporting jobs and the state’s economy.
The report recognises the importance of the forest and wood products industry to regional economies, and the importance of road infrastructure to the industry, highlighting the need to manage road infrastructure quality and access for all users.
Timber Towns Victoria President Cr Karen Stephens said that with up to nine million cubic metres of logs harvested and transported annually, the forest and wood products sector is a major user of Victoria’s road infrastructure.
“Victoria’s forest and wood products sector is a significant contributor to the state economy with some $634mil in gross value of logs per annum and is critical to the economic wellbeing of several key local government areas. It provides jobs across Victoria – not just in construction, but a range of sectors,” she said.
“TTV reviews the TIRES report on a 5-year rotation, seeking harvested volumes from industry which provides both local councils and the government an ‘evidence based’ methodology to consider funds required when budgeting.
“Having this evidence-based data is critically important to ensure that we get value for money from our road network spend annually,” she said.
“The commitment to economic expansion in key forestry regions is welcomed and Timber Towns Victoria looks forward to continuing to work constructively with the forestry sector to ensure that industry growth and infrastructure management are properly coordinated to ensure safe and secure access for all road users. The TIRES report 2023-2027 provides an evidence-based framework to prioritise infrastructure investment.”
Beginning in 1995-96, TIRES has undergone regular updates since, bringing together industry and government stakeholders to describe and quantify regional infrastructure priorities and to list projected works and costs for road infrastructure maintenance and upgrades providing Timber Towns Victoria local government areas to apply for funding opportunities.
The TTV TIRES 2023-2027 Executive Summary can be found at the Timber Towns Victoria’s website: www.timbertownsvictoria.com.au/resources/ or you can download the report here.
