An alternative route to the A83 Rest and Be Thankful – which will allow motorists to avoid a 60-mile diversion – has reopened after a landslide brought down 6000 tonnes of debris earlier this week.
Torrential rain across Argyll and Bute on Tuesday caused both the main route and the Old Military Road (OMR) to be blocked.
Large boulders left on the A83 – including one weighing 100 tonnes – were dislodged by a 42-strong team and a helicopter on Thursday, with stabilisation work continuing over the weekend.
Teams also worked to clear around 2000 tonnes of material from the OMR, which has previously been used as a diversion when the A83 has been blocked, with a protective bund constructed along its edge.
Road management and maintenance organisation Bear Scotland gave the green light for the OMR to reopen to traffic shortly after 9.15am on Saturday.
It will operate with a 24-hour convoy system as a local diversion for the Rest And Be Thankful.
Eddie Ross, Bear Scotland’s north west representative, said: “We’re pleased to safely open the Old Military Road under 24-hour operation as a local diversion route for motorists on the A83.
“Safety remains our top priority and we will continue to closely monitor the hillside and the route to check for any issues.
“Stabilisation work continues on the A83 and will continue into next week when a timetable for reopening will be finalised.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do all we can to reach a safe reopening of the A83.
“Argyll remains open for business and we encourage road users to plan ahead by checking Traffic Scotland for up to date journey information.”
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