Rest and Be Thankful route opens after series of landslides cleared

The A83 road in Argyll has reopened after several landslides forced closures lasting more than a week.

Traffic was shut off from the Rest And Be Thankful since thousands of tonnes of debris reached catch fences above the carriageway on 9 October following heavy rain caused by Storm Callum.

Motorists initially faced a 60-mile diversion as the Old Military Road alternative route was also affected by boulders which had fallen during the incident. Road company BEAR 0 Landslides after Storm Callum blocked the road

Scotland said around 3,000 tonnes of debris had now been cleared from the fences and roadway on the A83, fence repairs have been carried out and additional drainage installed. The road was reopened around 11:20am yes- terday following a final safety assessment and police check.

Temporary traffic lights will remain in place for safety while teams are working on landslip mitigation measures.

A 24-hour recovery vehicle and additional patrols will operate over the next few days to help keep traffic moving during the reopening.

Meanwhile, the leader of Argyll and Bute Council, Aileen Morton, is set to ask the Scottish Government to formally commit to funding a permanent solution to keep the road open.

Councillors said the “failure” of recent works to keep the road open meant an urgent review was needed.