‘Permanent replacement’ for A83 at Rest and Be Thankful welcomed
Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell has welcomed the announcement that there will be a permanent replacement for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful, writes Ellis Butcher.
It follows a statement by Scottish Government Transport Secretary Michael Matheson to a virtual meeting of the A83 Task Force.
The meeting was told there were 11 options for the site and that the ‘final preferred corridor’ would be put out for public consultation at the end of 2020 to allow a decision by March 2021.
Mr Matheson made a ‘further commitment’ to the construction during the next parliament, which starts in May 2021 and lasts for five years, said Mr Russell. That timeline, however, is subject to any objections to the proposed route.
Work on environmental assessment, engineering and design would move in parallel with the consultation, he said.
Michael Russell, cabinet secretary for the constitution, Europe and external affairs, said it was ‘very welcome news’.
He said: ‘The latest closure has confirmed that nothing less than a new permanent route will do and the agreement by the Scottish Government to accelerate work on that, in keeping with the request made by the Argyll and Bute council leader, myself and two other MSPs some weeks ago meets the timetable that we set to get things moving.
‘The confirmation that mitigation measures including new catch pits would also be brought forward and start almost immediately was also reassuring given that the existing road is going to be there until a new one is constructed.’
Mr Russell said there had been ‘astonishing work’ to clear and partially rebuild the damage from the largest fall recorded to date which took place on August 4.
‘BEAR Scotland and Transport Scotland staff are to be thanked as are the crews of Western Ferries which undertook a record breaking 136 crossings last Friday alone,’ he said. ‘Argyll and Bute remains open for business, but it is important that there is reassurance given to everyone - businesses, local residents and visitors alike – that not only will there be a permanent solution constructed within an agreed timetable, but there will also be more work to mitigate damage, ’said Mr Russell.
However, opposition politician Donald Cameron MSP, said that communities across Argyll and Bute are ‘completely exasperated’ and the government needed to ‘get a grip’.
Mr Cameron said: ‘After 13 years in office the SNP Government seems to be lurching from one fiasco to another when it comes to transport projects which are critical to the economy of my region.
‘There seems to be a complete lack of recognition that the Highlands and Islands are utterly dependent on a resilient and fit-for-purpose transport system. It’s no wonder my inbox is full of complaints from exasperated local people and businesses.’