Scenic but dangerous A83

Sir, I used to drive up to Kintyre from the south throughout the 1960s and 1970s for holidays with my parents. Although the Loch Lomond road was more tortuous then, I have no recollection of concern regarding the state of the road, its potential impact on our Sunbeam Rapier (my parent’s pride and joy) or, indeed, our safety.

Now, in the 21st century, my first advice for friends visiting me in Tarbert is to take great care on the journey here. As covered in the editorial in the January 5th edition of the Argyllshire Advertiser, the A83 achieved seriously dangerous conditions over the Christmas and New Year period.

For drivers new to the road, it was an anxiety-filled journey and pretty lethal in the dark - at a time of year when there is considerably more night than day.

From various parts of the globe, including countries with more extreme conditions and far less wealth than ours, visitors always ask the same question: Why is there no drainage along the road, particularly where vegetation and trees have been removed from adjacent slopes? This surely would help to avoid the serious deterioration of the surface?

While we spend on trying to attract new residents, businesses and visitors to the area, we ignore the basic access infrastructure at our peril. A scenic journey it might be, but looking at the view is low on anyone’s priority while trying to avoid ruts at the side, potholes all over - and very often deep surface water.

Quite apart from the dangers posed by the current approach, the lack of long term strategy resulting in ongoing patchwork solutions surely cannot sit comfortably with government, council or providers? Caroline Macqueen, Tarbert