Timescale row brews over solution for landslide road

Highland Correspondent

Friday 24 August 2012

A ROW has broken out over an MP's claim the Scottish Government has admitted it could take a decade for the landslide problems affecting the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful to be resolved.

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David Ross Highland Correspondent

Transport Scotland categorically denied Argyll and Bute Liberal Democrat MP Alan Reid's claim which he says was made at a meeting on Tuesday over the problems which have seen the road shut for the fifth time in five years this month.

Last night a councillor who attended the meeting backed Mr Reid's version of events. Donald Kelly, of the Argyll First Group on Argyll and Bute Council, backed Mr Reid. His group has gone to the Scottish Parliament's petitions committee calling for the road to be improved.Mr Kelly, who represents South Kintyre, said: "A timescale of 10 years was definitely discussed. Indeed, I challenged Transport Scotland and Scotland Transerv because I was very worried about it. They said it might not be as long as that, perhaps just five years. "But we would have to allow 10 years to get the project right. The point is they might have a plan in place long before then, but actually achieving it is another matter."Another person present at the meeting, who did not want to be named, confirmed that timescale was discussed. "In fact somebody from Transport Scotland or Scotland Transerv said to me it could be even longer."A Transport Scotland spokesman said: "At no point was Mr Reid told it would take 10 years to find a solution, and any suggestion he was is wrong. The final report is planned for publication towards the end of this year and will include indicative timescales for the range of measures considered."However, Mr Reid stuck to his guns, adding: "It was said, it could take 10 years. There was talk about the bureaucracy involved, traffic orders, planning permission, negotiations with landlords."The meeting discussed long-term options, including a two-lane road on the forest track on the opposite side of Glen Croe to the current road and building a "ski jump" structure to shelter the current road.

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Timescale row brews over solution for landslide road

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