The A83  at the Rest and be Thankful reopened this morning via the Old Military Road short local diversion, following a safety review by BEAR Scotland.

The A83 had been closed due to hillside concerns, with rainfall overnight triggering a 500-tonne landslide. Geotechnical engineers have now assessed the situation and reported that the material has been successfully intercepted by the debris fences and pits in this location. It is intended that the Old Military Road will be used through to Tuesday day-time, when a decision will be made on the full reopening the A83.

Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland project manager said: “The on-site traffic management team swiftly alerted of discoloured water and debris coming down a hillside channel at 7:30am this morning and the A83 was immediately closed as a safety precaution. The prompt mobilisation of the Old Military Road has minimised the use of the longer diversion route and ensured that Argyll and Bute remains open for business. Road users should expect delays of around 20 minutes whilst they are safely led through the short diversion route. We will review the situation over the course of the next few days to ensure it is safe to reopen the A83 fully, under traffic signal control.”

“The debris fences and pit have retained all of the debris from what was a considerable landslide event. They have protected road users and protected the road itself from damage and will greatly speed up the clear-up operation.”

PIC-BEAR SCOTLAND