Transport Scotland has today [16th November] recommenced the works to ready the old military roadin Glen Croe to act as an emergency diversion route when the A83 is hit by the landslides to which it is only too prone.
The works will be completed at the end of January or into February 2013, having been held up by the time it took to get the landowner to the point of signing a legal agreement.
The spinners have been hard at work, claiming that only one third of the route remains to be resurfaced – and that it was always understood that the date promised for completion by the Transport Minister – yesterday, mid November – was contingent upon this agreement.
The reality is that this was the fact but not the sales pitch.
At the outset, the Minister led the Taskforce to understand when he declared this as the completion date, that he had good reason to believe that the landowner’s agreement was already assured and awaited only the signatures.
Months later, this has only just been signed, with the likelihood that Argyll will now see the worst of another winter form the position of prey to loss of access from this main arterial road.
It is still good to see and hear the machines back in action.
It will be better when we see the Jacobs report, due to be published in a month’s time, and presenting the results of their study for Transport Scotland into the permanent solutions applicable to the situation at Rest and Be Thankful on the A83.
