Landslides which regularly cause travel misery for motorists using the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful could become a thing of the past after engineers proposed building a road shelter as part of a £470 million scheme.
A debris flow shelter, which covers the road to protect it from mudslides, avalanches and rockfalls, has been earmarked by Transport Scotland, the Scottish Government's national transport agency, as the preferred option for a long-term solution for the route at Glen Croe.
A public exhibition showing the proposals in full will be held in Arrochar next month, with the Transport Scotland project team and technical advisors available to answer questions on the proposals for the route.
The route has been plagued with landslides, with drivers often having to face a lengthy diversion when the road is blocked.
The proposed tunnel-like shelter will be almost a mile long, with a catch pit and a protection wall to shield the road and drivers from debris falling from above.
Transport Scotland said it estimates the project, which closely follows the mile-and-a-half route from Croe Water to the Rest and Be Thankful car park, will cost taxpayers between £405 million and £470 million.
Similar shelters have been used successfully across Europe for many years, and the decision to choose it as the preferred option follows design work on five options through the Glen Croe valley.
An online exhibition of the plans is now live for the public to view, while the in-person public exhibition in Arrochar takes place on the following dates and times:
Three Villages Hall
Monday, June 12, 12 noon to 7pm
Tuesday, June 13, 10am to 5pm
The exhibition will also take place at Lochgilphead Baptist Church on Wednesday, June 14 (12noon to 7pm) and Thursday, June 15 (10am to 5pm).
Transport minister Kevin Stewart said the Scottish Government has been “working tirelessly to find a long-term solution” for the route, and that selecting the preferred option is a “very important milestone” in the work.
He added: “We want to hear from the public on our proposals, and both the online exhibition and public exhibitions in two weeks are your opportunity to tell us what you think.
“Work will now be taken forward at pace to further develop our proposals, including the detailed development and assessment of the preferred option along with the preparation of an environmental impact assessment, draft road orders and draft compulsory purchase orders.”
While the road shelter is part of its long-term solution, Transport Scotland said it is looking “to increase the resilience of the temporary diversion route along the existing Old Military Road, having identified the preferred route solution for it late last year”.
Measures taken on that route are hoped to reduce closures due to flooding.
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