Road maintenance and management firm BEAR Scotland has confirmed that the A83 between Tarbet and Inveraray has re-opened to all traffic after closures due to landslides caused by heavy rain.

Since Saturday, this section of the A83 has been closed to allow the extensive clear-up of landslide material from the route at Glen Kinglas, and to a lesser extent at the Rest and be Thankful where a small landslip also occurred.

As part of the operations undertaken, BEAR teams have removed over 12,000 tonnes of debris and have cleared roadside verges and drainage systems to allow the trunk road to re-open to traffic. The road is now free of debris and safe for motorists to use.

Heavy and persistent rainfall on Friday evening and Saturday, which was associated with an amber weather warning, caused major impacts on the trunk and local roads networks, with significant disruption experienced across Argyll.

The area around the A83 saw a month’s worth of rainfall, around 160mm, fall over 36 hours.

Following the re-opening of the A83, BEAR Scotland teams will remain on site to monitor the areas affected by the landslides in the coming days, and will be supported by geotechnical engineers who will continue to inspect the affected sections of hillside in proximity to the A815 junction and within Glen Kinglas. Regular inspections of the hillside at the Rest and be Thankful will also continue.

(Picture – Dunoon junction before and after clear-up, courtesy BEAR Scotland)