£25m to consult on Rest solution
Transport Scotland has invited bids for a £25 million contract to develop a scheme for the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful.
Government agency Transport Scotland last month announced that one of five possible new routes through Glen Croe will be built to bypass the landslide-prone A83 trunk road at the Rest.
The A83 through Glen Croe has been hit by multiple closures due to landslides in recent decades and pressure has been building for the Scottish Government to act quickly to resolve the issue.
In a contract notice published by Transport Scotland on April 8, consultants are invited to express interest in providing scheme assessment work to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, assist in the promotion of statutory consents as well as procuring construction contractors and providing site supervision services.
The chosen consultant may also be required to a develop a temporary alternative to the old military road local detour while the permanent route is built.
With Argyll and Bute Council pressing for a permanent alternative to be completed within the term of the next Scottish parliament – and The Rest and be Thankful Campaign business group seeking completion in just three years – time is of the essence.
The contract notice states ‘the consultant will be required to advise on methods to shorten the development and promotion process’.
A maximum of five bidders will be taken forward to the tender stage for the contract, which has an estimated value of £25 million over 10 years.
The deadline is May 12 and invitations to tender are expected to be issued to selected bidders on June 16.
Separately, Argyll and Bute councillors have been told a temporary alternative route through Glen Croe could take up to 18 months to design and three to four years to construct.
At a virtual meeting of the full council on April 15, council executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: ‘Transport Scotland is considering alternative interim routes to be used rather than the old military road.
‘Whilst the timescale is yet to be finalised, Transport Scotland is anticipating an interim route could be designed within approximately 18 months and constructed within three to four years depending on the extent of work involved.
‘Due to this being a temporary interim solution, normal trunk road design standards will not necessarily apply.’