Gimme shelter!
£470million plan to protect Rest and Be Thankful
IT is a route notorious for being blighted by landslides.
But now travel misery on the A83 Rest and Be Thankful could be a thing of the past, thanks to plans for a protective tunnel.
Engineers have proposed constructing a multi-million-pound ‘debris flow shelter’ to protect the Argyll road from rock falls.
The stretch has been plagued by landslides in recent years, often forcing motorists to take 60-mile diversions when it becomes blocked.
The proposed tunnel-like shelter will be almost a mile long and will closely follow the mile-and-a-half route from Croe Water to the Rest and Be Thankful car park.
A catch pit and a protection wall will shield the road and drivers from debris falling from above.
Transport Scotland bosses estimate the project will cost taxpayers between £405million and £470million.
Similar shelters have been used successfully across Europe for many years, and the decision follows design work on five options through the Glen Croe valley. An online exhibition of the plans has gone live, and in-person events will be held for four days from June 12 in Arrochar and then Lochgilphead, where members of the public can share their views.
Transport Minister Kevin Stewart said the Scottish Government has been ‘working tirelessly to find a long-term solution’ for the route, and that selecting the preferred option is a ‘very important milestone’ in the work. He added: ‘We want to hear from the public on our proposals, and both the online exhibition and public exhibitions in two weeks are your opportunity to tell us what you think.
‘Work will now be taken forward at pace to further develop our proposals, including the detailed development and assessment of the preferred option along with the preparation of an environmental impact assessment, draft road orders and draft compulsory purchase orders.’
While the road shelter is part of its long-term solution, Transport Scotland is also looking to increase the resilience of the temporary diversion route along the existing Old Military Road by reducing closures due to flooding.
Two massive landslides caused by heavy rain led to the road being closed twice in six weeks in August and September 2020.