A83 Rest petition in focus at Holyrood committee

Two Argyll councillors who continue to push the Scottish Government for a permanent solution on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful have had their petition discussed again at Holyrood.

Mid Argyll councillor Dougie Philand and his South Kintyre colleague Donald Kelly’s petition for a public inquiry into the “political and financial management of the Rest and Be Thankful project” was discussed by the citizen participation and public petitions committee in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday May 17.

The committee agreed to write to the new Scottish minister of transport, Kevin Stewart, to ask when a permanent solution for the landslide-stricken A83 stretch would be settled on.

Councillor Philand has also written to the new transport minister to ask when a permanent solution will be reached.

He wrote: “Could you confirm the Scottish Government’s commitment to the funding of a permanent solution for the Rest and Be Thankful, and that given the announcement for a permanent solution is going to be in the spring of this year again, are you able to confirm the announcement will take place?”

Committee members also raised the issue of the spring deadline with Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, pointing out there was still only a temporary solution in place.

She said: “I recognise there is a new minister in place, and there are tight budgets.

“And while the committee might not be in favour of a public inquiry, the core of this petition is because they [petitioners Philand and Kelly] do not think that value for money is being achieved. What we have is vast amounts of public money being spent on the project over the years, without a permanent solution.

“Catch pit costs estimated at £2-3 million are now at more than £100 million. I do think this has gone on for long enough.”

David Torrance, Kirkcaldy MSP, added that with only 14 days of spring left he didn’t think a report would be available in that time.

Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, added: “I would like to include in the record that in the petitioners’ submission from March 14, they say that the medium-term solution criteria does not take into consideration ensuring a two-way road which stays open when it rains and is free from traffic lights, road closures and convoys, a fundamental requirement of the people who actually use the road.

“These are legitimate points that the petitioners have made.”

It was agreed by the committee, chaired by Jackson Carlaw MSP, that this contribution should be recorded.