A small highland community is to benefit from a £300,000 project to improve a short section of 'life-line' public road.

The scheme involves upgrading a section of the Polloch to Glenfinnan in-forest road.

Timber lorries using the 50-year-old route have historically joined the single-track public road for 2.4km on the south side of Loch Doilet.

However, damage caused by 140,000 tonnes of timber carried on the road meant that in 2014 it was excluded from further use.

The project is backed by the Scottish Government's Strategic Timber Transport Fund, administered by Forestry Commission Scotland and match funding from The Highland Council.

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As well as improving the public road, it will also secure the long term timber access into Glen Hurich and Achnanellan.

Once the upgrade is complete, a further measure of long-term protection will be added by only using trucks fitted with Tyre Pressure Control Systems (TPCS) that minimise wear and tear on road surfaces.

Councillor Henderson said: "This productive partnership approach means that a badly damaged road can be repaired and enhanced and can carry on to serve the local community for many years to come.

"Good team work has been very effective and I am particularly pleased as much of the existing road materials as possible is going to be used in the reshaping before the overlay work is done.

"This cuts down on material and haulage costs and also is good news for reducing our carbon footprint."

The Polloch project is one of four major Highlands' projects that in 2015/16 will benefit from over £2 million of funding.

The others are: Ruthven Bridge, Flow Country Timber Links and the South Loch Ness In-forest link.

(LM)