Wide Load Transports from 7th January 2013

4th January 2013

"Commencing Monday 7 January 2013, Give Svaergods Transport Ltd will be transporting the component parts of eighteen wind turbines to a site at Rothes Cairn Uish wind farm, near Fogwatt, Moray. Most loads will leave from Inverness Harbour, however there will be some leaving from Invergordon Harbour.

The loads will be escorted on Mondays to Saturdays (inclusive) and are expected to take until Friday 8 March 2013 to complete. Three loads will be moved daily, in convoy. These abnormal loads are considerable in size, measuring up to 52 metres in length and up to 3.5 metres in width. Due to their dimensions each convoy will be escorted by the police throughout their movement.

The identified route will see the convoy leave Invergordon Harbour via the B817, Saltburn Road, turn left, taking the road to the rear of Inverbreakie Industrial Estate and join the A9 at Tomich, before heading to Inverness.

The identified route from Inverness Harbour will be along Stadium Road to Longman Roundabout, where the convoy will turn left onto the A9. Thereafter, convoys from either harbour will follow the same route along the A96, through Nairn and Elgin before heading south on the A941 to Fogwatt.

Each convoy will leave its respective harbour at 0900 hours. Convoys from Inverness are expected to reach Nairn about 0945 hours and Elgin about 1045 hours. Convoys from Invergordon are expected to reach Nairn about 1045 hours and Elgin about 1145 hours.

Sergeant Chris Whelan, from Grampian Police's Road Policing Department, Elgin, who is in charge of the operation, said, "By their very nature, these wind turbine components are cumbersome and can be slow to manoeuvre. It takes great skill on the part of the lorry driver to ensure each load is moved safely and as efficiently as possible. I would ask motorists to exercise patience and if necessary, find an alternative route to avoid unwanted delays".