Background

The A83 is one of two east-west strategic trunk roads that connects Argyll and Bute to the central belt of Scotland, making it a vital link in the region's transportation infrastructure. The adjacent hillsides have a history of instability resulting in landslides and debris flow hazards, which have increased in recent years due to the frequency of heavy, intense periods of rainfall, leading to frequent road closures and resultant diversion. The A83 Rest and Be Thankful project is being taken forward by Transport Scotland as a long-term, resilient, and sustainable solution to the problem of landslides in Glen Croe.

The key milestones of this project to date are:

• September 2020 - 11 potential route corridor options were presented to the public to gather feedback and inform initial design and assessment work.
• March 2021 - the preferred route corridor was announced as the Glen Croe Corridor and five potential route options were identified.
• September 2022 - Transport Scotland appointed Atkins Réalis WSP Joint Venture (AWJV) to take forward the design and assessment of both the Long-Term Solution (LTS) and the Medium-Term Solution (MTS).
• December 2022 - upgrades to the existing Old Military Road (OMR) was announced as the preferred option for the MTS.
• June 2023 - the preferred route for the LTS was announced as the brown option, which included a debris flow shelter (DFS) and catch pit. Public exhibitions were also held to present the preferred route, explain and see feedback on the next steps.