PLANS to build a flyover or tunnel through one of Scotland’s most scenic landscapes may be resurrected as officials scramble to protect a landslide-hit stretch of road.

Ministers said “further measures” are being considered to permanently fix the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll.

It comes after the vital lifeline was closed for nine days earlier this month when 3,000 tonnes of debris crashed down a slope.

Transport bosses have pumped £69 million into the maintenance of the trunk road since 2007, including £11 million on landslide mitigation.

But angry locals are losing patience following multiple road closures in the past decade, and have threatened to blockade the Scottish Parliament unless a permanent solution is found.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said he recognised the “frustration of the people in Argyll and Bute”.

He said the most recent closure – which ran from October 9 to 18 – followed the biggest landslide in at least a decade.

He added: “A significant amount of work has been undertaken to implement mitigation measures, which have had an impact on the site.

“In the past couple of years, nets have prevented closure of the route where that would have happened in the past.

“However, given the events of the past couple of weeks, we clearly need to revisit the issue.”

Facing questions in Holyrood, he told MSPs he was “open to looking at whether further measures need to be taken to address the issue permanently”.

He said: "Anyone who knows the site will know the particularly challenging topography of this part of the road, on which such issues have been long standing.

"The mitigation measures that are being taken are to address such concerns but, clearly, given recent events and the scale of that landslide, we need to look at whether further measures need to be taken as we consider its impact."

In 2013, transport chiefs considered a number of proposals to protect the route from landslides.

Options included building a new road or spending up to £120 million constructing a “debris flow shelter”.

A £95m flyover was also considered, as well as a tunnel costing between £460m and £520m.

Officials eventually chose to simply carry out around £10m-worth of improvement works on the existing A83 route, including erecting barriers and planting trees.

But the road’s latest problems have led to calls for some of the earlier options to be put back on the table.

Scottish Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, whose constituency covers the Rest and Be Thankful, said it was time for a permanent fix.

She said: “This is not the first time that we have seen the A83 closed at the Rest and Be Thankful and, whilst I am grateful for all the efforts to reopen both roads, it is time that a permanent solution is found.

“Residents, businesses, workers and visitors in Argyll and Bute rely on the A83 to commute and move goods and services up and down the country.”

Argyll and Bute Council has urged the Scottish Government to formally commit to funding another solution, insisting recent works have failed.

Leader Aileen Morton said: “The scale of financial support needed to deliver a permanent solution is potentially very substantial.

“However, when considered in the light of other investments across the country, such as the Queensferry Crossing at a cost of £1.35 billion or the Aberdeen bypass at a cost of £745million, then the potential costs here are put into a different perspective.”

Councillor Donald Kelly of the Argyll First group previously said the road’s ongoing problems risked ruining the rural economy.

He called on motorists to band together and blockade the streets around Holyrood in protest.

Transport Scotland said a dedicated taskforce will meet on November 15 to consider further options.