Campaigners stage Rest and Be Thankful protest over A83 convoy plans

Hauliers and businesses have staged a protest at the Rest and Be Thankful as campaigners called on the Scottish Government to scrap plans for a four-year single-lane system on the A83.

The route is regularly affected by landslips, with Transport Scotland proposing upgrades to the Old Military Road as a medium-term diversion route while a permanent solution is developed.

The Rest and Be Thankful (RABT) Campaign Group warn relying on the Old Military Road (OMR) and a traffic-light-controlled convoy system would cause major disruption to businesses and communities.

The protest came ahead of a meeting between campaigners and Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn on October 29.

Calum MacRae is the managing director of civil engineering firm A&L Macrae.

He told STV News: “We’re here to try and stop Transport Scotland putting us to a single lane for the next four years.

“The consequences for Argyll and Bute will be detrimental, with financial losses running into the hundreds of millions of pounds.

“We’ve presented multiple solutions which could be delivered in a much quicker timescale.”

Following discussions with Transport Scotland, the group says three options capable of maintaining two-way access have been examined: upgrading the existing forestry track, known as the Green Route, for two-way traffic; upgrading the Old Military Road for two-way use; or creating a one-way circuit using the forestry track for uphill traffic and the Old Military Road for downhill traffic.

The group favours upgrading the forestry track, arguing it would provide a more suitable alternative for commercial vehicles and other road users.

But Transport Scotland says the Old Military Road option would provide a more resilient diversion route, reduce journey times and offer a quicker, relatively lower-cost solution.

Oppos­i­tion to the con­voy pro­posal has also gathered momentum through a peti­tion launched by Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber MP Brendan O’Hara.

The SNP MP is urging the Scot­tish Gov­ern­ment to reject the pro­posed con­voy sys­tem, warn­ing of its poten­tial impact on tour­ism, eco­nomic growth and access to health­care.

Trans­port Scot­land says the pro­posed works, estim­ated at between £24m and £34m at 2024 prices, include debris catch fences, tem­por­ary bunds, drain­age improve­ments and road widen­ing.

Mean­while, con­struc­tion of the per­man­ent debris flow shel­ter is expec­ted to take three to four years, with the long-term scheme estim­ated to cost between £408m and £510m at late-2024 prices.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering a permanent and resilient infrastructure solution to address the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful as a priority and as quickly as possible.

“The situation is being treated with the seriousness it deserves, with measures to maintain connectivity on a short, medium and long term basis being implemented.

“Following feedback from the A83 Taskforce last year, we have undertaken additional work in consultation with the A83 Campaign Group regarding the appraisal of two-way free flowing options for a medium-term solution.

“The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport recently chaired a meeting of the A83 Taskforce and heard the views of members on the additional design and appraisal work undertaken.

“The additional work together with feedback from stakeholders and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport’s recent visit to the Rest and Be Thankful will help inform a final decision on that solution. The Cabinet Secretary is also meeting with members of the Campaign Group and local politicians later this month before making a decision on the way ahead for the medium-term solution.”