'Number of closures' planned for Rest and Be Thankful route over summer

The Rest and Be Thankful stretch of the A83 has “a number of road closures” planned for the next two months, a report has revealed.

A Transport Scotland official has also advised that roadworks with temporary lights are set for Arrochar over a six-week period.

Further details have also been published of works at other parts of the A83, including at Loch Shira and Glen Kinglas.

The information features in a report which will go before Argyll and Bute Council’s Bute and Cowal community planning group on Tuesday, May 6.

Ian Woodcock, Transport Scotland area manager, said in the report: “Currently, there are ongoing works for the erection and repair of the hillside debris netting as well as planned drainage works, all working in coordination with the ground investigation team working on behalf of major projects in relation to the design of the debris flow shelter.

“Please note that there are a number of road closures to the A83 planned for during May and June of this year, with the OMR (Old Military Road) being utilised as the diversion route.

“Further details of the dates will be issued from the GI (ground investigation) contractor in due course. We are also continuing to monitor the hillside as per our landslide management plan.

“Further investigation and design works are progressing this financial year at the A83 at Loch Shira to improve the slope and drainage at that location as well as at Glen Kinglas with our OC carrying out further ‘natural terrain hazard assessment’.

“This financial year we are focussing on a number of drainage improvement schemes with a view to rectify the ongoing issues.”

Mr Woodcock then said: “Third party works by SSE are planned at Arrochar, using traffic signals, for around six weeks during May and early June.”

A spokesperson for SSEN Transmission said: “As our Sloy-Windyhill overhead line replacement project progresses, we need to build a temporary junction on the A83 near Church Road in Arrochar to allow our teams safe access to two towers scheduled for essential refurbishment work.

“To keep our teams as well as road users and pedestrians using the A83 footpath safe, we’ll have temporary traffic lights in place during the construction of the junction access. The traffic lights will be manually controlled and a pedestrian diversion in place for all footpath users.

“To help keep any disruption to a minimum, the traffic lights will be removed outside of working hours each day, as well as at weekends and bank holidays.

“Work will begin on Wednesday, May 7 following the May bank holiday and is expected to take up to six weeks to complete.

“Every effort will be made to limit any impact, and we thank all road users for their patience in advance while we complete this essential work which will help improve the electricity network in the area.”