A £5.5million contract has been awarded in a bid to find a long-term solution to landslide risks at the Rest and Be Thankful.
Transport Scotland have awarded Structural Soils LTD the contract for the A83 ground investigation work and it’s expected to get underway next month.
The work is expected to last 16 weeks, although that could change depending on the weather.
Transport secretary Fiona Hyslop says it’s evidence that the Scottish Government is committed to finding a solution to the issues at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful.
Attempts to fix any problems at the notorious road have been ongoing for 18 years and it was shut for seven days in April due to fears over further landslips.
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- 'We apologise': Scotland's most notorious road out of action for seven days
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A83 at the Rest and be Thankful: The 18 year wait for a solution
The investigation will look to discover how they can solve the problem and there is confidence that the work on Old Military Road will increase resilience and reduce the likelihood of landslides impacting it.
Ms Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering a long-term solution to the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful.
“The announcement last June of the preferred route option for the Long-Term Solution was a significant confirmation of our commitment to improve the route.
“The design work for this is being progressed at pace with a view to publishing draft Orders by the end of this year. The ground investigations to begin next month will provide essential information to inform design development of the preferred route option.
“At the same time, we are progressing our plans to increase the resilience of the temporary diversion route along the Old Military Road. The first phase of the work to realign the southern end of the route, reducing the risk of flooding, commenced construction in December and the new link road is now complete.
“The ground investigations to inform future phases of the Medium Term Solution are already underway and we will then look to start further construction works later this year, subject to obtaining the necessary consents.
“When completed, the work on the Old Military Road will increase the resilience of the temporary diversion route by reducing the likelihood of landslides impacting it. These improvements will mean more certainty for locals and road users if the A83 has to shut due to adverse weather conditions.
"All of this underlines the Scottish Government’s commitment to work with local communities and key stakeholders to ensure that Argyll & Bute remains open for business."
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