Argyll MP seeks meeting after chaos on the A83

Following the closure of the Rest and Be Thankful this week, Argyll MP Brendan O’Hara has written to the Scottish Government minister seeking an urgent meeting to discuss the ongoing problems with the A83.

Mr O’Hara also said he would raise the economic effect it is having on Argyll, as well as infrastructure difficulties for the west coast.

Mr O’Hara said: ‘I recognise and applaud the hard work done by the A83 Taskforce to find a solution to the historical problems at the Rest and Be Thankful. These efforts have resulted in unprecedented levels of engineering work being done over the past couple of years.

‘But what we have witnessed – and with the west of Scotland predicted to become ever wetter due to climate change – shows a long-term permanent solution to the A83 cannot come quickly enough. The A83 is a vital economic artery for the west of Scotland that deserves the same level of support as the bridge over the Forth or the Aberdeen bypass.

‘Closures of the A83 leads to untenable diversions and rerouting of traffic onto other roads which are simply not designed to withstand these volumes of traffic. A solution to infrastructure investment to stem the flow of people and investment from the west coast must be found as a matter of urgency.

‘The rural west of Scotland had suffered decades under-investment and depopulation. We need a permanent solution and that means investment.

‘The repopulation and with it the economic regeneration of my constituency depends on a permanent solution and that’s what I am keen to discuss with the minister as a matter of urgency.’