Timber Industry Roads Evaluation Study (TIRES) 2023 – 2027
Media Release
1 September 2023
Timber Industry Roads Evaluation Study (TIRES) 2023 – 2027
A new report into the expected volume of timber freight movements across Victorian roads over the next 5 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.
Timber Towns Victoria (TTV) today 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 9 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.
“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.
“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.” Cr Stephens said.
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/
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Media contact:
Cr Karen Stephens
Timber Towns Victoria President
0488 900 6545
About Timber Towns Victoria
Timber Towns Victoria is the peak local government body for Victoria on forestry policy. It represents 12 Victorian Local Government areas with forestry industries on public or private land. In representing these local councils and the communities that work within the forestry and timber industries, TTV is committed to maintaining sustainable practices to ensure the industry continues into the future.
Quick links
- Position Paper – The Cessation Of Native Forest Harvesting In Victoria 1 September 2023
- Timber Industry Road Evaluation Study 2023-2027: Executive Summary 1 September 2023
- End of Native Forestry – Victorian Government Fails To See The Forest For The Trees 26 May 2023
- Plantation Promises – Where are they? 7 March 2023
- Job Losses Rippling through Victorian Communities 24 February 2023
- Timber Towns Welcomes Funding Boost 20 April 2022
- Timber Towns Victoria disappointed that Traditional Owners are being targeted 14 April 2022
- “We are being treated like fools” 6 April 2022
- Myths and falsehoods plague local mixed species timber industry, 21 December 2021
- New Report shows timber contributes $1.4B to Victoria’s economy, 17 December 2021
- Specialised analysis for the Timber Towns Victoria council areas, 2021
- Reversal on ‘water rule’ allows Victoria to plant 100 million more trees to store carbon, 29 October 2021
- Timber Towns welcomes transparency around native timber ban, 15 October 2021
- Native timber industry key to tackling climate change, 11 August 2021
- Native timber industry is sustainable, says Timber Towns ahead of government review of Timber Code of Practice, 9 July 2021
- Timber Towns warns massive job losses if native timber industry closes, 17 May 2021
- Read the Rural Councils Victoria report, Economic Impact Assessment of the creation & retention of rural jobs
For more information, contact Timber Towns Victoria President, Glenelg Shire Councillor Cr Karen Stephens, 0488 900 645 or email secretary@timbertownsvictoria.com.au