Traffic to be diverted onto Old Military Road as part of the essential ground investigation work at A83 Rest and Be Thankful

Illustration of the 110 tonne crane on the A83 which is required to lift specialist equipment on to hillside. — Illustration of the 110 tonne crane on the A83, which is required to lift specialist equipment on to hillside.

Road users travelling on the A83 Rest and Be Thankful are advised that essential ground investigation work currently being undertaken in the area will require traffic to be diverted on to the Old Military Road (OMR) between 0800 and 1800 on a number of days during May, June, July and August.

These diversions, starting on 19 and 20 May, will allow the contractor, Structural Soils Ltd (SSL), to carry out detailed ground investigation work for the long-term solution, which is currently ongoing at the Rest and Be Thankful and are an essential part of informing the design development of the preferred route. The works will involve large cranes, ancillary equipment and a large number of personnel to lift specialist drilling equipment on to the hillside. During these works these large cranes will be required to occupy the full width of the A83 carriageway.

The closures are required during daylight hours to ensure the safety of the workforce which means the work cannot be done at night.

Gordon Ramsay, A83 Project Manager, Transport Scotland said:

“The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering a permanent and resilient infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks as a priority and as quickly as possible.

“Transport Scotland appreciates the frustration that traffic management, including diversions onto the OMR causes the local community, businesses and road users. As we carry out any works, we are committed to ensuring that Argyll and Bute remains open for business.

“These temporary diversions onto the OMR are key to maintaining safety for both road users and the workforce. We will work with the ground investigation contractor to complete the work as quickly as possible and to reduce the number of closures needed, if feasible. Transport Scotland would like to thank local communities and road users for their cooperation.

“The long term solution, consisting of a 1.4km debris flow shelter, is technically challenging and the landscape is dynamic so it is vital to understand the terrain in order to develop a suitable solution of the correct standard in the correct place."