MINISTERS have been warned of the risk of deaths as they forge ahead with a 10-year timescale to provide an permanent solution to Scotland s most notorious stretch of road - having sanctioned paying £25m on consultants alone. Transport Scotland is offering a ten year contract for the consultants who will oversee and support delivery of a new route to replace the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful which has suffered decades of landslides. The contract being sought is over and above any construction costs, and associated ground investigations aimed at making life for motorists safe at the landslip-prone A83 at the Rest and be Thankful (RABT).
SOME £4m has been wasted over five years of failed temporary fixes to one of Scotland s key roads which has become plagued by landslides. Details of the official costs of the mitigation measures over the past five years have emerged as campaigners fight for a permanent solution after an over 15-year failure to prevent disruption on the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful. A campaign - backed by 1500 businesses - has issued a deadline of 2024 to finally resolve the issues with the important Highlands route which has been disrupted for seven months due to landslips and the threat of falling boulders.
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful is to remain open overnight for the first time in over eight months in a 24-hour trial operation over the next two days. The infamous lifeline road has been in and out of action since August last year, following a landslide. The trial will help officials consider if the route can remain open safely overnight on a long-term basis. Starting today, all traffic will remain on the A83 overnight with teams carefully monitoring the hillside and weather conditions in the area. However, the Old Military Road will remain on standby as a local diversion route throughout the two-day trial - with teams ready to implement use of the route should weather conditions deteriorate in the area.
1000 businesses air new safety concerns over seven months of chaos on the A83 at Rest and be Thankful heraldscotland.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldscotland.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Campbeltown Courier
Updated: 26/02/21, 10:42 am
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful was closed for more than 200 days last year because of landslips.
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