Hawick is being used as a ‘training exercise’ as turbine passage causes severe disruption

Hawick is being used as a “training exercise” with gridlock ensuing this week as turbines passed through it, a concerned councillor has claimed.

There was severe disruption again on Wednesday, October 24, as a 64.8 metre bladed turbine was transported to the Pines Burn Wind Farm, located 6km south west of Bonchester Bridge.

The town once again came to a standstill as the huge structure made its slow progress to its destination, resulting in huge tailbacks.

Hawick & Denholm councillor Stuart Marshall believes it is townsfolk and town businesses which are paying a heavy price for the windfarm’s development.

He said: “This week has once again seen these massive loads coming through our town and once again Hawick and its surrounding countryside have endured gridlock.

“I know that some local bus and taxi operators just gave up on their operating schedules when sitting in huge tailbacks whilst these blades were moved.

“I also was informed that some trees had to be removed en-route and this I’m afraid only strengthens my view that our town and rural areas are being used as a training exercise for many more future deliveries and further disruption to local businesses.”

A spokesperson for Energiekontor, the windfarm operator, said: “Due to the size of the components needed for the wind farm there will undoubtedly be some disruption to travel arrangements for local communities and Pines Burn Windfarm would like to assure communities that all efforts are being made to keep this to an absolute minimum.

“The transport of the turbine components is carried out by experienced hauliers using extremely specialist vehicles that travel at low speeds on certain routes.

“These vehicles are able to lift and tilt the long components where necessary to avoid trees, lamp posts, road signs and to negotiate bends and road undulations.

“Due to the size of the turbine components they are classified as abnormal loads and must be escorted by specially trained Police Scotland officers.

“The blades are 64.8 metres long whilst the tower sections vary between 21 to 37.4m long. For this first phase there are 21 blades and 21 tower sections to be delivered to site.”