Yet another landslide

Sir,

How ironic – that on the day of the funeral of Donald Clark, Inveraray, a committed member of the A83 Task Force group, the A83 should be closed at the Rest and be Thankful due to yet another landslide.

Predictably, this landslide occurred outwith the already ‘protected area’ – a blow to Donald’s friends from the Glasgow area wishing to pay their last respects, given the long diversion, and another serious disruption to the west coast community which depends on this national artery to go about its daily business and social lives.

The tolerant people of Argyll who use this route have been assured as to the robustness of the current ‘solution’ to the landslip problem over time. After years of traffic signal control and delays, however, they have just recently become used to the unfamiliar, free flow of traffic at the top of the Rest when another landslide occurs at the wrong place and sets things back to square one.

As an alternative to this one step forward, two steps back approach to road problem-solving, it is illuminating to reflect on the huge current investment and the ongoing improvements to the transport network on the other side of our country, mostly in the pursuit of economic progress through improved journey times. In no particular order, we have the following examples:

❚Forth Replacement Crossing – cost almost £1 bn

❚Aberdeen Western Peripheral route

– £745m

❚A9 Dualling over 80miles – £3bn due for completion 2025

❚Dundee northern relief road – estimate £250m

❚Aberdeen to Inverness rail improvements – £330m.

By contrast, on the west side of the country, Transport Scotland has so far spent £11m (2019) at the Rest on the A83, which, according to their own web site, is one of the most highly ranked debris flow hazard sites in Scotland.

There is no suggestion that direct comparisons can be made between the A83 and the A9 on traffic flows or in population terms.

Surely, however, the role of government is to take action where problems exist, and given the Argyll and Bute problems of population decline and long-standing service-funding challenges, reliable, physical connectivity would seem to be a vital starting point in any effort to address these issues or any regional prosperity imbalances.

In conclusion, hardly a day goes by without parliamentary references to the wishes of ‘the people of Scotland’.

Please, Messrs Matheson, Russell and O’Hara, what about raising the A83 up the political agenda in accordance with the wishes of the people of Argyll?

Blair Fletcher, Lochgilphead.