A NATIONAL Park conservation charity has outlined its support for a radical solution to the A83 landslip problems at the Rest and Be Thankful – as bad weather continues to affect the trunk road.

Both the A83 and the Old Military Road (OMR) diversion route were shut on Wednesday night due to heavy rain, forcing drivers on journeys between central Scotland and Argyll to take the standard 49-mile diversion via the A82, A85 and A819.

BEAR Scotland, the company responsible for maintaining the route, announced last month that the main A83 in the area would close every night until late November due to ongoing repairs, with traffic diverted via the weather-dependent OMR.

But on November 4 the company said the main road would have to close completely until the middle of this month after Storm Aiden brought yet more hillside debris sliding down on to the carriageway.

A public consultation on 11 alternative routes proposed by Transport Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, closed on October 30, with potential options including the construction of new bridges across the Gare Loch and Loch Long.

Last month Argyll and Bute Council backed an adjacent route alongside the existing route corridor as its preferred option, and now the Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs have revealed their preference.

The group, which was established in 1978 and is the only independent conservation and heritage charity working solely to protect, promote and provide projects and services for the area covered by the National Park, favours building a new Alpine-style replacement A83 in the existing Glen Croe corridor.

John Urquhart, vice-chair of the Friends, said: "For many years now the Scottish Government has regularly ploughed millions of pounds into a variety of measures, including large catch nets and sinks, to try and protect the A83 which hugs the side of the steep southern slopes of Beinn Luibhean and The Cobbler.

READ MORE: The 11 options put forward by Transport Scotland to solve A83 landslip headaches

"But this is increasingly proving to be wholly inadequate to cope with the scale and frequency of landslips and flooding that has occurred in recent months and repeatedly over the past decade and more.

"We are advocating that a more radical Alpine-type solution is required which allows debris flows to reach the floor of Glen Croe unimpeded and involves possibly building a combination of cantilevers, viaducts and reinforced gallery canopies or tunnels on a new route not far from the existing Rest and Be Thankful route.’’

Mr Urquhart added: "Our European counterparts in more challenging mountainous areas such as the Alps and the Dolomites have for centuries used these various route building options with great success.

"We believe there is no reason why they would not work here provided the Scottish Government is willing to invest at the right level in an engineering solution which respects the outstanding scenic qualities of the area.

"One of the benefits would be removal of the unsightly existing large catch nets which currently dominate the hillside landscape but, more importantly, this option would help to ensure economically fragile communities such as Tarbet, Arrochar, Cairndow and Inveraray continue to benefit from passing traffic upon which they are heavily reliant."

The Friends have also proposed, as part of a wider strategic review of the Loch Lomond to mid-Argyll A83 trunk route, that there would be significant benefits to be gained from exploring the potential to realign the route through the Tarbet-Arrochar corridor.

They contend this would remove traffic bottlenecks and road safety issues as well as improving the quality of life for residents and enabling the area to prosper more as a "flourishing tourist destination".

Recommendations for a preferred route corridor are expected to be finalised by spring 2021.

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