Delays and diversions again as notorious A83 remains closed
A KEY Scottish main road is to be out of action for longer than first thought as workers try to make it safe after two landslips at the end of October.
Maintenance firm BEAR Scotland had said it expected to have the A83 at Rest and be Thankful partially open by mid November once fence repairs have been complete.
But they have now confirmed there has been a further delay – and no timescale has yet been indicated over re-opening.
It has also emerged that a singletracked alternative route could also be out of action until Thursday – leaving motorists on a 60-mile long diversion.
The important Argyll route has been open for barely three weeks since August 4 when a landslip brought about by rain blocked the road.
Ministers have previously been accused of wasting nearly
£80 million on more than a decade of failed solutions to landslides on the road after the latest multiple slips in heavy rainfall.
Some locals have called for a public inquiry into the problems, with many saying a permanent solution must be found.
At the end of October, Storm Aiden brought around 90mm of heavy rain which caused two significant landslides at the key road, both of which were held back from reaching the A83 by the landslide debris fences on the hillside.
BEAR Scotland said the fences prevented the two significant landslips from reaching the A83.
But they said on November 4 that they now require a series of repairs
to reinstate the impacted debris fences, clear them of material and restore them to their “full capacity to ensure the A83 remains protected”.
The maintenance firm said that until this work is complete the A83 needs to remain closed “as a safety precaution”.
The single-track Old Military Road (OMR) alternative route, which runs parallel to the A83 was to remain in use until repairs to debris fences impacted by landslips during Storm Aiden are completed.
But even it has had to be shut overnight on several occasions for safety reasons – leaving motorists to embark on a 60-mile diversion.
BEAR Scotland said that re-opening of the A83 has had to put off because of a storm expected through to Thursday.
A yellow Met Office warning for heavy rain issued for midnight last night until 3pm tomorrow has been partly responsible for scuppering plans.
Between 75mm and 100mm of rain is forecast to fall in the area during the period.
The OMR closed again at 6pm yesterday due to the “saturation on the hillside and the further very heavy rain forecast”, said BEAR Scotland. It said it is possible that it could remain closed until Thursday morning.
All traffic will be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819 when the OMR is closed.
BEAR Scotland said that during drier conditions yesterday engineers progressed with a programme of landslip mitigation measures above the A83 including the reinstatement of the debris fences damaged on 31 October during Storm Aiden.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s north west representative, said: “The work required to re-open the A83, which includes the reinstatement of debris fences damaged during Storm Aiden at the end of October, has progressed well despite the inclement weather.
“Re-opening the route is however delayed due to the storm expected to impact the Rest and be Thankful tonight through to Thursday.”