Jamie McGrigor, Highlands & Islands MSP, has given his reaction to the latest landslide on the A83 trunk road. A landslip occurred around noon yesterday at Butterbridge, closing the road.
The road was subject to traffic restrictions last month following a minor landslip at the Rest & Be Thankful on the 15 January, and was closed in October due to a landslip at Kinglas.
Commenting this morning, Jamie McGrigor, who has pressed successive Scottish Transport Ministers to address the landslip risk along all the vulnerable areas of the A83 and to implement long term solutions, said:
“I share the concern and annoyance of my constituents and local businesses, several of whom have contacted me to express their dismay, at yet another closure of one of the key routes in and out of Argyll & Bute.
“It is of real concern that this landslide, and October’s, occurred at locations outside the area where the emergency relief road at the Rest & Be Thankful can be used in the event of closures.
“The Transport Minister previously assured me that studies are underway at the Glen Kinglas, Cairndow, and Loch Shira sections of the road, with the aim of providing these locations with a similar level of risk reduction to that at the Rest & Be Thankful.
“Following this landslide at Butterbridge, I will be writing to the Minister to push for these studies to be completed as soon as possible, and for practical landslip prevention measures on these sections of the roads to be implemented without delay.
“The A83 is of strategic importance to Argyll & Bute, and our economy simply cannot afford repeated closures of this road with the lengthy and costly diversions these entail”.