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Rest reopens after Argyll hit by 11 landslides in one morning

By Bill Heaney

The A83 in Argyll has reopened after the area was hit by 11 landslides in one morning.

Drivers faced a 60-mile detour when the road was closed on Monday between Ardgartan and the A815 Dunoon road, near the Rest and be Thankful.

Bear Scotland said five hours of heavy rain around Butterbridge and Glen Kinglas had caused the landslides.

The road reopened at 09:30 on Tuesday, following a clean-up operation and safety inspections.

Bear Scotland said two landslides reached the carriageway and blocked the road, while a third was contained by a roadside barrier.

When the A83 is closed, the nearby Old Military Road is usually opened to traffic.

However, on Monday it was also blocked by the landslides, requiring the 59-mile (95km) diversion via Crianlarich.

Eleven landslides were recorded along the stretch, with two reaching the road from Loch Lomond to Inverary.

Geotechnical engineers assessed the area and debris was removed from the trunk road and ditches.

Traffic lights are still in place at the Rest and Be Thankful and at Glen Kinglas.

Euan Scott, from Bear Scotland, said teams had been working hard to clear the debris over the last 24 hours.

He added: “We will continue to monitor hillside conditions over the next few days and thank the community and road users for their patience.”

An artist impression of the mile-long tunnel which will be built to stop the road being closed because of landslides.

The A83 is an almost 100-mile (161km) trunk road connecting the Mull of Kintyre and southern Argyll to the shores of Loch Lomond.

More than a million vehicles travel the route every year and it acts as an important transport link for mainland Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides.

The Rest and Be Thankful section – a steep climb out of Glen Croe near Arrochar – is vulnerable to landslides and was closed for a total of 200 days in 2020.

In 2023, the national transport agency Transport Scotland unveiled plans for a mile-long tunnel, costing up to £470 million, to protect vehicles from landslides.

The Rest and Be Thankful got its name because travellers and drivers would stop at the top of the 800ft climb to catch their breath.

Today Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie has laid the blame with the SNP over the “farcical” situation facing Argyll’s main A83 route.

The Scottish Government proposed that a Debris Flow Shelter is constructed to protect the carriageway from falling debris – but the plan is likely to take years to deliver.

But, as reported earlier, the road was closed again on Monday, at both the Rest & Be Thankful and at Butterbridge, near Cairndow, leaving drivers facing a 60 mile diversion.

The alternative route has a diversion in place via Lochgoilhead and further landslip activity also rendered the diversionary route out-of-commission, with drivers sent via the A819, A85 and A82.

MSP Jackie Baillie, whose constituency covers the Rest & Be Thankful, expressed her continuing disappointment at the Scottish Government’s approach.

Following the latest closure, she said:  “Businesses and residents have been clear that they have been hard hit by the continuing problems at the Rest & Be Thankful.

“The SNP Scottish Government is taking far too long to deliver a remedy to the issue, resulting in lengthy diversions for residents, visitors and businesses.

“Not only has this had a massive impact on trade, but it is a key factor in the depopulation of Argyll.

“The lack of timely action has actively contributed to the depopulation of Argyll and it is vital that the significance of the A83 crisis is recognised as a matter of urgency.”

A 35 per cent reduction in the working age population has been recorded in Argyll & Bute over the past 10 years, with the Rest and Be Thankful thought to be impacting long-term investment and growth.

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