The scheme's treatment of the risk of the primary diversion route, the A83, being closed by landslide borders on flippancy.
This is compounded by the fact the road closure is scheduled outside the tourist season, coinciding with the highest risk of landslide.
Given the economic consequences suffered by businesses dependent on the A83 as a result of repeated and prolonged closure due to landslide in the last couple of years, this does not inspire confidence in Transport Scotland's ability to do its job. Closing the A82 for 3.5 months (or longer if there are difficulties) will cost Scotland dearly, yet the obvious solution, which would not require any road closure, is not considered in the report.
A tunnel bored on an approximately north-south axis to the west of Pulpit Rock could be constructed without closing the road at all, and connecting with the existing road could be managed with light-controlled traffic movement.
It would be no exaggeration to say that the proposed "road on stilts" is an ugly, intrusive blot on the National Park and will cost the economy a good deal more than the £9.2 million price tag. Do we not deserve better?
David Bradshaw,
The Gantocks,
Shore Road,
Kilcreggan, Helensburgh.
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