THE A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful could re-open in three weeks' time if repair work following last week's landslip is completed.

BEAR Scotland teams, managing the road on behalf of Transport Scotland, say a programme of complex repairs to the embankment above and below the road as well as work to stabilise the carriageway is under way.

Work has already started on stabilising the sheer face formed below the road by the wash out, with a sprayed reinforced concrete face formed which has been tied back to underlying rock with eight-metre long rods.

A temporary catch-pit is also being installed next to the roadside below the recently formed steep channel which will help provide additional resilience for the A83 after heavy rain forced thousands of tonnes of debris onto the road, blocking the route since Tuesday evening, August 4.

Once repairs are complete the A83 will be able to re-open under traffic light control. Teams are carrying out the repairs 24/7 to enable the road to be re-opened as soon as it is safe to do so.

The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route is to remain in use overnight on Friday for road users. The route will be reviewed on a daily basis paying close attention to the weather forecast to see if it will remain safe to re-open overnight.

Strict safety protocols are in place which allow teams to continue to keep the diversion route in operation throughout the night.

The A83 has been closed since last Tuesday due to a large landslip which impacted the road. The carriageway has been undermined due to large volumes of water and debris washing material from beneath the road and the supporting embankment.

Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West representative said: “Teams are making good progress with the repairs on the A83 following last week’s landslip.

“Today teams have started to drill for the installation of piles to form a concrete retaining wall which will support the road across the damaged section.

“Teams will work 24/7 to allow us to reopen the A83 as quickly and safely as possible.

“The Old Military Road is in use as a local diversion road for motorists and will be used overnight tonight (Friday). We’ll continue to assess the weather forecast on a daily basis to determine if it is safe to keep the route open overnight.

“We thank all road users and the local community while we do everything we can to repair the A83 after last week’s landslip. Argyll remains very much open for business and we advise all road users to plan their journeys in advance by checking the Traffic Scotland website for information.”