A meeting of parties interested in what they regard as a more permanent solution to the A83′s vulneranility to landslides, along with some local councillors and local MSP, Michael Russell, was held at The George Hotel in Inveraray a couple of days ago.
In chess terms, the outcome could be described the Oliver Twist opener, with the decision being to go back to the Transport Minister and ask for more.
The ‘more’ in question in this case is to be a request for Transport Scotland to:
- revise its modelling of the situation at Rest and Be Thankful – with the current landslide the biggest to date by some distance – at between 2,000 and 2,500 tonnes;
- evaluate and cost the option of making the Old Military Road, used as an emergency diversion route, into a two way road;
- re-cast, re-evaluate and re-cost the use of debris canopies on the Rest and Be Thankful section of the A83;
- re-evaluate and re-cost the option of an emergency route along the southern hillside of Glen Croe.
The group at the meeting – which included three directors of M&K MacLeod and Donald Clark of The George Hotel – hope that these matters will be discussed at the next meeting of the A83 Task Force in early December.
The serious weaknesses in Argyll’s case in asking for more, is firstly the fact that the debris netting proved effective in soaking uo the weight and impact of a major slippage. Secondly, with Argyll’s ageing and falling population and bottom-feeding local economy, it is hard to see a powerful argument for insisting on the major investment any alternative or additional measures would require.
However, it would make sense for Transport Scotland to cost the maintenance of the current system of debris nets, since these have to be replaced every time they take a hit; and also the cost of maintaining the presence of a mothballed works camp at Rest and Be Thankful, ready to be called into use when the hillside next lets go.
Some of those present at the meeting report a sense that the Scottish Government is prepared to listen – although in politics, listening does not necessarily equate to action and spending.
