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A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL04 Aug 2020
Thursday 13 August - 6:00Am
OLD MILITARY ROAD REOPENS FOLLOWING THE GREEN LIGHT FROM SAFETY INSPECTIONS
The Old Military Road reopened this morning around 6:00am following successful green light from safety checks at first light this morning. Teams are continuing with work to complete assessments of the slope and continue with initial repairs to the embankment damaged by the landslip last week.
Wednesday 12 August – 3.00PM
FURTHER WEATHER WARNINGS PROMPT OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE TONIGHT FROM 9PM
• Old Military Road in use during daytime and will close again overnight as a safety precaution
• Work continues to repair damaged A83 following major landslide last week
Further Met Office weather warnings across Scotland mean that the Old Military Road will close overnight again from 9pm this evening (Wednesday) as a precaution.
The local diversion route closed during the hours of darkness on both Monday and Tuesday night due to forecast heavy rain and the route will close again overnight for a third night for safety.
All traffic will be diverted from 9pm on to the standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819.
Safety assessments will take place at first light tomorrow morning (Thursday) to determine if it is safe to reopen the local diversion route.
A Met Office yellow weather warning is currently in force for thunderstorms across most of the country until later this evening. The thunderstorms have the potential to bring sporadic heavy rain showers which could impact on the hillside, potentially dislodging some loose debris which may impact on the A83 and OMR below.
Teams closely monitor the hillside during daylight hours however this process is heavily restricted during darkness, making it difficult to spot any material which may have become dislodged.
The local diversion route closed overnight on both Monday and Tuesday as a precaution due to forecast heavy rain but reopened before 7am during the daytime following the green light from safety assessments. The OMR has been in operation since Saturday morning and motorists have been using the single-track road in a convoy system to safely continue their journey on the A83.
Teams are expecting to determine the full programme of repairs later this week once designs are complete.
Work has already started on stabilising the sheer face formed below the road by the wash out. A sprayed reinforced concrete face has been formed and this has been tied back to underlying rock with eight metre long rods.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Further weather warnings for thunderstorms are in place across large areas of Scotland throughout the day into the evening, which have the potential to bring sporadic heavy localised rain showers.
“We need to prioritise safety of road users and with the amount of loose debris still present in the channels we’ve decided to close the route overnight for a third night as a precaution and in the interest of keeping everyone safe.
“We’ll assess the route at first light tomorrow morning and reopen the road as early as we can once considered safe to do so.
“Designs are being finalised this week which will allow us to have a clear understanding of a timeline to completing the repair work and safely reopening the A83.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we work to address the impact of last week’s landslip. Argyll remains open for business and we encourage all road users to check Traffic Scotland for the latest travel updates.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What Has Happened at the Rest and Be Thankful?
• A large landslide occurred on the evening of Tuesday 4 August at the Rest and Be Thankful blocking the road after around 100mm of rain fell in the Argyll area.
• The source of the landslip was located around 200m high above the A83, which split into two main channels as it spread out in a “fan effect” down the hillside. One of the channels filtered into one of the landslip mitigation catch-pits which prevented around 2,000 tonnes of material from reaching the road, with around 1,500 tonnes of debris reaching the carriageway at the second channel. Car-sized boulders also reached the roadside in the debris. A further 2,000 tonnes of material was washed onto the Old Military Road.
• In total, the landslide is thought to have moved around 6,000 tonnes of debris down the hill, one of the largest landslips in recent times.
• On Wednesday 5 August teams worked to begin the initial clear-up operations and carry out geotechnical assessments and safety investigations into the damage caused by the landslip. The flow of debris from the A83 and accompanying water flow from Tuesday’s heavy rain caused significant scouring to the embankment slope below the A83, which undermined the road and demolished the roadside safety barrier. For safety the road and OMR remained closed.
• On Thursday 6 August a further 100 tonnes of material reached the carriageway overnight via the steep channel scoured out by Tuesday’s landslip, exposing large boulders. Teams worked to make these boulders safe using water-bags dropped into position from a helicopter as well as using a high-pressured hydraulic ‘jack’ to force the boulders into a new, safer position further down the steep channel.
• Teams completed the clear-up of 2,000 tonnes of debris from the OMR on Friday 7 August and are beginning work to construct a protective bund and channel parallel to the roadside.
• The Old Military Road was opened under convoy operations as a local diversion route 24 hours a day on Saturday 8 August at 9:15am.
• Forecast heavy rain overnight on Monday 10 August meant the OMR closed overnight from 9pm, with motorists diverted via the usual standard diversion route on the A83, A82, A85 and A819. The OMR reopened under convoy operation during the daytime at around 7am on Tuesday 11 August, with further weather warnings prompting a second overnight closure from 9pm. On Wednesday 12 August the OMR opened at 6.15am and will close again for a third night overnight due to further weather warnings in the area. Designs are being drawn up to repair the A83 which suffered significant damage in the landslip. Work has already started on stabilising the embankment beneath the carriageway.
Wednesday 12 August - 6.15Am
OLD MILITARY ROAD OPEN AS LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE FOLLOWING GREEN LIGHT FROM SAFETY ASSESSMENTS
The Old Military Road (OMR) reopened this morning around 6.15am following a green light from safety assessments at first light this morninig. Teams will continune with assess the damage on the A83 and embankment caused by last week's landslip.
Tuesday 11 August – 4.30PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE TONIGHT AT 9PM DUE TO FURTHER WEATHER WARNINGS
• Local diversion route in operation throughout daytime and will close overnight as a safety precaution
• Work continues to repair damaged A83 following major landslide on Tuesday evening
The Old Military Road will close overnight again from 9pm this evening (Tuesday) due to Met Office yellow weather warnings across the country.
The local diversion route closed during the hours of darkness on Monday night due to forecast heavy rain and the decision has been taken to close the route again tonight from 9pm as a safety precaution.
All traffic will be diverted from 9pm on to the standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819.
Safety assessments will take place at first light tomorrow morning to determine if it is safe to reopen the local diversion route.
A Met Office yellow weather warning is currently in force for thunderstorms across most of the country until midnight tomorrow night. The thunderstorms have the potential to bring sporadic heavy rain showers which could impact on the hillside, potentially dislodging some loose debris which may impact on the A83 and OMR below.
Teams closely monitor the hillside during daylight hours however this process is heavily restricted during darkness, making it difficult to spot any material which may have become dislodged.
The local diversion route closed overnight on Monday as a precaution due to forecast heavy rain but reopened at around 7am this morning following the green light from safety assessments. The OMR has been in operation since Saturday morning and motorists have been using the single-track road in a convoy system to safely continue their journey on the A83.
The A83 has been undermined due to large volumes of water and debris washing material from beneath the road and the supporting embankment during a landslip last Tuesday. Designs are being finalised for the construction of a concrete wall to support the road as well as a culvert to carry water under the road. Designs for a new temporary catch-pit which will be installed at the foot of the recently formed steep channel above the roadside are also being finalised which will help provide extra mitigation in the area. Teams are expecting to determine the full programme of repairs later this week once designs are complete.
Work has already started on stabilising the sheer face formed below the road by the wash out. A sprayed reinforced concrete face has been formed and this has been tied back to underlying rock with eight metre long rods.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “With weather warnings for thunderstorms in place overnight across much of the country we have taken the difficult decision to close the local diversion route again from 9pm due to the restrictions in being able to safely monitor the hillside.
“The warnings indicate that localised heavy downpours could sporadically occur overnight which could have an impact on the loose debris present in the channels above the road. We therefore have decided to close the route for safety overnight and implement the standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819.
“We’ll assess the route at first light tomorrow and hope to open the Old Military Road in the early morning following all safety checks.
“Teams have worked tirelessly since Tuesday’s landslip to clear the debris and complete full assessments and safety checks of the area. The event caused significant damage to the embankments above and below the carriageway, with sections of the road undermined in places due to the volume of water and debris which came down in the landslip. Designs are being finalised and, in parallel, work has begun on the preparatory stages.
“Safety remains our top priority and we’ll do all we can to reopen the main A83 as quickly as we can.
“As ever we thank the local community and road users for their patience while we address the situation at the Rest. Argyll remains very much open for business and we ask road users to plan their journey in advance by checking Traffic Scotland for the real-time travel information.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Tuesday 11 August – 7.15AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD REOPENED FOLLOWING GREEN LIGHT FROM SAFETY INSPECTION
The Old Military Road has reopened under convoy following a successful green light from a safety check at first light this morning.
Work continues to assess the damage to the road on the A83 and teams are in the process of firming up designs which will allow engineers to restore the road to a safe condition. Teams have already started repairs to a section of the embankment next to the road damaged by Tuesday evening’s landslip.
Monday 10 August – 3.45PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT AT 9PM DUE TO FORECAST HEAVY RAIN AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
• Local diversion route to be closed as a safety precaution during hours of darkness
• Route expected to reopen tomorrow morning following green light from strict safety assessment
• Diversion route via A83, A82, A85 and A819 will be implemented overnight from 9pm
The Old Military Road is to be closed overnight tonight (Monday) from 9pm as a safety precaution due to forecast heavy rain expected this evening.
Loose debris is present at sections of the hillside scarred from Tuesday’s landslip which has the potential to become dislodged and impact on the A83 and Old Military Road during heavy rain.
For safety, the local diversion road will be closed overnight given the restrictions of being able to safely monitor the embankment, channel and hillside in the hours of darkness.
A full safety assessment will be completed at first light tomorrow to check for any loose material which may have moved in the channel during the overnight heavy rain and a decision will be taken in the early morning to determine if it is safe to reopen the Old Military Road as before.
Work continues to assess the damage to the road on the A83 and teams are in the process of firming up designs which will allow engineers to restore the road to a safe condition. Teams have already started repairs to a section of the embankment next to the road damaged by Tuesday evening’s landslip.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Safety is our top priority and following tonight’s forecast heavy rainfall warning from the Met Office and input from our geotechnical specialists we have taken the difficult decision to close the Old Military Road as a precaution overnight tonight .
“The forecast has indicated localised short heavy rain showers which will impact the Rest and Be Thankful, and given the indication of loose material present in the channel high above the road we want to make sure all road users as well as our own teams remain safe, and therefore the only option is to close the local road overnight.
“A full safety assessment will take place at first light tomorrow morning to check if any material was dislodged in the channel and to see if the Old Military Road was impacted. Once we are satisfied that the route is safe to reopen the local diversion route will be implemented as before.
“The previous standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819 will be reinstated from 9pm tonight until it is considered safe to reopen the local OMR diversion route.
“Safety has to come first and as ever we thank the local community and road users for their patience while we address the situation at the Rest. Argyll remains very much open for business and we ask road users to plan their journey in advance by checking Traffic Scotland for the real-time travel information.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Saturday 8 August – 9:15AM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS VIA THE OLD MILITARY ROAD FOLLOWING GREEN LIGHT FROM SAFETY ASSESSMENT
• Work continues on A83 to assess damage following landslide
The A83 has reopened via the Old Military Road local diversion after being given the green light following a safety assessment this morning.
The road reopened shortly after 9:15am and is now operating under a 24-hour convoy system as a local diversion for road users at the Rest and Be Thankful.
Teams will continue with work to stabilise and assess the damage on the A83 and the embankment above and below the carriageway following Tuesday evening’s landslip.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “We’re pleased to safely open the Old Military Road under 24-hour operation as a local diversion route for motorists on the A83.
“Safety remains our top priority and we will continue to closely monitor the hillside and the route to check for any issues.
“Stabilisation work continues on the A83 and will continue into next week when a timetable for reopening will be finalised.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do all we can to reach a safe reopening of the A83.
“Argyll remains open for business and we encourage road users to plan ahead by checking Traffic Scotland for up to date journey information.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 7 August - 4.00pm
WORK CONTINUES TO INSTALL ADDITIONAL PROTECTION MEASURES ON OMR AHEAD OF POTENTIAL SATURDAY MID-MORNING OPENING
• Opening of route dependent on green light from strict safety assessment
• Work continues to clear and assess damage on A83 from landslip on Tuesday evening
Work is continuing on the Old Military Road (OMR) at the Rest and Be Thankful to install additional protection measures ahead of potentially opening as a local diversion route for road users from mid-morning tomorrow (Saturday).
The measures include the construction of bunds along the edge of the carriageway and excavation of a channel parallel to the road as an added precaution should any material be washed towards the road from the embankment.
A band of heavy rain is expected to fall in the area later this afternoon and the mitigation measures will help protect the OMR ahead of a potential reopening tomorrow mid-morning.
A rigorous safety assessment will be undertaken by Police Scotland and geotechnical specialists to check all aspects of the local diversion before the Old Military Road can be opened as a diversion route.
Work continues to assess the damage to the A83 and embankment above and below the road following Tuesday’s landslip.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re on track to opening the OMR mid-morning tomorrow pending a green light from the safety assessments of the diversion route following this evening’s rain.
“Teams are making good progress with the ongoing construction of the mitigation measures at the OMR and we’re working to having these completed later this evening.
“We’ll only open the OMR as a local diversion if we are completely certain that it is safe to do so.
“Teams are continuing to work on the A83 and assess the damage above and below the road and work is well underway to stabilise the hillside.
“In the meantime Argyll remains open for business with Western Ferries providing additional sailings to help accommodate motorists and our teams assisting road users using the standard route.
“Safety remains our top priority and we’re doing everything we can to safely reopen the OMR as quickly and as safely as we can and then to do likewise with the A83.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 7 August - 11.00AM
CLEARANCE WORK CONTINUES AT REST AND BE THANKFUL FOLLOWING MAJOR LANDSLIDE
• Additional protection being constructed on OMR to allow for potential reopening of local diversion Saturday morning pending rigorous safety assessment
Major clearance operations continue at the Rest and Be Thankful and Old Military Road (OMR) following a large landslide on Tuesday evening.
Teams have been working to clear around 2,000 tonnes of material from the OMR following the landslip earlier this week. A protective bund is being constructed by teams along the edge of the OMR and a channel is also being excavated parallel to the road to help provide additional protection.
Heavy rain is forecast from mid-afternoon and the additional measures will help provide extra mitigation in the event of any debris being washed down to the level of the road.
Once all additional protective measures are completed teams are working towards a potential reopening of the OMR as a local diversion route from Saturday mid-morning, following a full rigorous safety assessment by Police Scotland and geotechnical specialists.
Work continues on the A83 and steep channel above the road with further large boulders made safe, the clearance of additional debris and the formation of a debris retention pit. Design of the repair to the downhill slope damaged by the flow of debris and water is also underway.
The A83 and OMR remain closed today and a diversion route in place via the A83, A82, A85 and A819. Western Ferries have increased their sailings on their Gourock to Dunoon route to accommodate motorists.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said:
“Since the large boulders were made safe yesterday late afternoon, we’ve been progressing with clearing the OMR and safe-guarding it with a view for a potential reopening tomorrow mid-morning. We will only reopen the road if we are absolutely satisfied that it is safe to do so.
“As an added precaution we’re in the process of constructing additional protection measures next to the roadside on the OMR including a protective bund and channel along the edge of the road which will help redirect any excess material or water from impacting the carriageway.
“We will be closely monitoring the hillside and OMR as heavy rain is forecast this afternoon.
“Work is continuing simultaneously on the A83 with good progress being made on the clearance and stabilisation work allowing us to now progress the design of the full repair solution.
“In the meantime Argyll remains open for business with Western Ferries providing additional sailings to help accommodate motorists and our teams are assisting road users using the diversion route.
“Safety remains our top priority and we’re doing everything we can to reopen the OMR as quickly and as safely as we can and then to do likewise with the A83.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 6 August - 6.15PM
LARGE BOULDERS EXPOSED BY LANDSLIP MADE SAFE HOWEVER OMR AND A83
REMAIN CLOSED
• Helicopter used to help manoeuvre boulders
• Assessments and clear-up operations continue now boulders made safe
Large boulders exposed in a steep channel above the A83 have been made safe after teams worked throughout the day to manoeuvre the boulders into a safe location.
The boulders were dislodged following a combination of efforts from a helicopter to drop water onto the material around the boulder as well as using a high-pressured hydraulic ‘jack’ to force the boulder into a new, safer position further down the steep channel.
Due to the safety risk of those working below the boulders the clear-up operations on the OMR and safety assessment of the damage to the carriageway were temporarily held until the boulders were made safe, and teams have now resumed operations and will continue to work until sunset.
The A83 and OMR remain closed and a diversion route in place via the A83, A82, A85 and A819. Western Ferries have increased their sailings on their Gourock to Dunoon route to accommodate motorists.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said:
“We’re pleased that the boulders that were identified by our geotechnical specialists have now been made safe after a huge effort to clear them in a controlled manner from the steep channel above the A83.
“Due to their size and position it was unsafe for us to carry out any clear-up operations or safety assessments until they were in a suitable, safe position.
“We’re now continuing to press on with operations on the OMR with what remaining daylight there is left.
“Until the clear-up work is complete and a full safety assessment for any damage to the road is complete we cannot open the OMR or A83, therefore they have to remain closed overnight.
“In the meantime Argyll remains open for business and we have additional teams patrolling the diversion route to check for any issues and to help keep traffic moving. Western Ferries are continuing to offer additional sailing to help accommodate motorists.
“We thank the local community and motorists for their continued patience as we continue to do all we can to address the landslip at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile app my.trafficscotland.org
Thursday 6 August - 11.00am
ONSITE ASSESSMENTS AND CLEARANCE OPERATIONS CONTINUE AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
• Helicopter being used to help manage large boulder exposed on hillside
• Further 100 tonnes of debris reached A83 overnight
• A83 and OMR remain closed for safety
Assessments of damage to the A83 caused by a large landslip on Tuesday night are continuing today with teams back on site since first light to carry out clear-up of material.
A large boulder, approximately 100 tonnes in size, was exposed in one of the steep channels above the A83 and a helicopter is being used to make the boulder safe by using water bags to manoeuvre it into a safe location.
Overnight around 100 tonnes of further material reached the A83 roadside via the steep channel which had been scoured out by Tuesday evening’s landslip. Teams are working to clear this with dedicated personnel scanning the hillside for safety to check that no further material could impact on operations below.
A team of 42 people are continuing to work on both the A83, OMR as well as to manage the traffic and ensure the diversion route is kept moving. 16 different vehicles have been deployed by specialists to help clear the OMR and A83 and allow full investigations of the damage to the road to continue.
The A83 and OMR remain closed with a standard diversion route in place via the A83, A82, A85 and A819. Western Ferries has also added additional sailings between Gourock and Dunoon to help accommodate motorists.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said:
“We have rigorous geotechnical assessments underway on the site and are continuing investigations into how this area has been impacted by Tuesday’s landslide.
“A helicopter is being used to address a large boulder exposed on the hillside which is in the process of being made safe.
“We have a good weather window today so we’re pressing on as much as we can with the clear-up of the OMR and also to clear more material from the A83 so we can fully assess the extent of the damage.
“This is a challenging process due to the amount of debris exposed and the embankments are being carefully monitored by personnel trained in scanning the hillside to alert for any further movements on the slope which could impact on any operations below.
“All efforts are in place to address the landslip as quickly as possible, however safety is paramount and we cannot open either the OMR or the A83 until we are absolutely satisfied that the routes are safe.
“Argyll remains open for business and we have extra support and patrols on the diversion route to ensure traffic is kept moving, and Western Ferries are continuing to offer additional sailings today to accommodate motorists.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to address the landslide at the Rest and Be Thankful.”
Real-time journey information is available on www.traffiscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 5 August - 7.00PM
A83 AND OMR TO REMAIN CLOSED OVERNIGHT FOLLOWING LARGE LANDSLIP ON TUESDAY
• Diversion route remains in place
• Assessment of damage to A83 carriageway and clear-up operations ongoing
The A83 and Old Military Road (OMR) are to remain closed overnight tonight (Wednesday) following a large landslip at the Rest and Be Thankful on Tuesday evening.
Around 100mm of rain fell across the Argyll area which caused a large landslip around 200m high above the A83, which split into two main channels as it spread out in a “fan effect” down the hillside. One of the channels filtered into one of the landslip mitigation catch-pits which prevented around 2,000 tonnes of material from reaching the road, with around 1,500 tonnes of debris reaching the carriageway at the second channel.
A further 2,000 tonnes of material was washed onto the OMR which teams have been working to clear since first light this morning. In total, the landslide is thought to have moved around 6,000 tonnes of debris across the hill, one of the largest landslips in recent times.
Geotechnical specialists have been carrying out initial safety assessments of the area and also started investigating the damage caused by the landslips. Large car-sized boulders have also been brought down the hillside onto the carriageway, and inspections of the slope are taking place to assess the area for any other potential boulders which were impacted by the landslip and heavy rain.
A 42-strong team is on site carrying out assessments, managing the traffic and continuing the clear-up operation using 16 different kinds of heavy machinery including excavators, lorries and sweepers.
The flow of debris from the A83 and accompanying water flow from yesterday’s heavy rain has caused significant scouring to the embankment slope below the A83, which has undermined the road and demolished the roadside safety barrier. Teams are working to establish potential repair solutions before the road can be safely reopened.
All traffic is currently being diverted via the standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819. The diversion route is being patrolled and monitored to check for any issues and ensure traffic is kept moving. Temporary traffic lights are currently in place on the A82 at Inveruglas after yesterday’s heavy rain affected a retaining wall, causing some damage to the road. Traffic Scotland are also providing additional advanced warning signs for road users to inform them of the closure at the Rest and Be Thankful so motorists can plan an alternative route in advance.
Western Ferries have added additional sailings on their usual Gourock to Dunoon route to help accommodate motorists.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said:
“Teams have been working since first light to carry out the initial clear-up operations on both the A83 and OMR.
“The size and scale of this landslip is presenting us with challenges we’ve not seen previously. The safety of road users is imperative so we are establishing full assessments of the road and OMR to address any damage before we can safely open the road.
“Once the full inspection of the damage and consideration of options has been completed we will be able to advise on the way forward to undertaking this repair work and to reopen the A83.
“We understand the desire to reopen the road and OMR however we have to devise a safe solution to allow us to do so. For now, the diversion route remains in place and Western Ferries are running additional sailings for their Gourock to Dunoon crossing to accommodate road users.
“In the meantime, Argyll remains open for business and we encourage road users to check Traffic Scotland for the latest travel information.”
Real-time journey information is available on www.traffiscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 5 August – 11.30AM
Initial Clear-Up Operations Underway Following Landslip At Rest and Be Thankful
• A83 and OMR remain closed and diversion route in place
Initial clear-up operations are now underway after a large landslide blocked the A83 and Old Military Road (OMR) at multiple locations yesterday.
Geotechnical specialists have been on site since first light this morning to carry out initial safety inspections of the area and to begin assessing the damage caused by the slips. BEAR Operations teams have mobilised with specialist machinery at both ends of both the A83 and OMR to begin work to clear the debris.
A large landslip around 200m above the carriageway occurred on Tuesday after up to 100mm of rain fell in Argyll, creating a ‘fan effect’ down multiple water channels some of which reached the roadside.
Approximately 1,500 tonnes of debris is thought to have reached the A83, with around 2,000 tonnes of material washed onto the Old Military Road. In total, the landslide is thought to have moved around 6,000 tonnes of debris across the hill.
One of the recently installed landslip mitigation catch-pits, built to prevent landslip material reaching the road, caught around 2,000 tonnes of debris material from one of the channels affected by the landslip.
Large car-sized boulders have also been brought down the hillside onto the carriageway, and further safety inspections of the slope are taking place to assess the area for any other potential boulders which were impacted by the landslip and heavy rain.
All traffic is currently being diverted via the standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819. The diversion route is being patrolled and monitored to check for any issues and ensure traffic is kept moving. Temporary traffic lights are currently in place on the A82 at Inveruglas after yesterday’s heavy rain affected a retaining wall, causing some damage to the road. Traffic Scotland are also providing additional advanced warning signs for road users to inform them of the closure at the Rest and Be Thankful so motorists can plan an alternative route in advance.
Western Ferries have also added additional sailings on their usual Gourock to Dunoon route to help accommodate motorists.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Yesterday’s heavy rain caused a large landslip high above the road which reached the A83 and OMR roadside at multiple points, bringing significant amounts of debris.
“Our teams have mobilised at both ends of the A83 at the Rest and OMR and have begun the initial clear-up of the debris.
“Further assessments need to be completed by geotechnical specialists of the hillside and both roads to check for any further concerns, and until these checks and the clear-up is complete the A83 and OMR will remain closed.
“In the meantime, Argyll remains open for business and we encourage road users to follow the diversion route in place for motorists. Western Ferries are also running additional sailings for their Gourock to Dunoon crossing to accommodate road users.
“Please check Traffic Scotland for most up to date travel information.”
Real-time journey information is available on www.traffiscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Tuesday 4 August, 8.30pm
Large multiple landslips block A83 and Old Military Road
Multiple landslips have blocked the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful in both directions following a period of heavy rainfall across Argyll.
Material from the landslips has also blocked the local Old Military Road, which has previously been mobilised to use as an alternative route to the A83.
Around 65mm of rainfall is estimated to have fallen at the Rest and Be Thankful on Tuesday.
Specialist geotechnical contractors have carried out initial visual assessments from the roadside but initial indications are that there is still movement on the hillside and it is unsafe to begin clear-up operations or carry out further assessments.
The A83 and Old Military Road will both remain closed overnight (Tuesday) and safety assessments will resume at first light tomorrow.
A standard diversion route has been implemented between Tarbet and Cairndow via the A83, A82, A85 and A819. Temporary traffic lights are in place on the A82 at Inveruglas after heavy rain and flooding also impacted a retaining wall following a day of challenging conditions.
Further update will be provided tomorrow morning. Motorists are advised to follow Traffic Scotland for up to date journey information.
BEAR Scotland ‘Name A Gritter’ Competition06 Jul 2020
BEAR Scotland ‘Name A Gritter’ Competition.
BEAR Scotland ‘Name A Gritter’ Competition06 Jul 2020
The Winners!
Earlier this year we ran a colouring in competition to help beat boredom during lockdown and to help us come up with a name for our gritters.
We ran a competition for the public as well as one for our staff and their families.
We had so many great entries that in the end we decided to pick six winners!
The new names are:
• Megameltasaurus – Cooper Gilland, 6
• Frosty – Tyler Marshall, 8
• The Great Grittish Flake Off – Angus Ewen, 11
• Snow Angel – Sara Marshall, 9
• Veruca Salt – Brodie Blackall, 11
• Licence to Chill – Hannah, 13
Congratulations to the winners and a huge thanks to everyone who entered. The new names will be appearing on BEAR Scotland’s gritters in time for next winter!
Watch a video here to see more!
Essential Road Maintenance to Begin Across North West Trunk Roads02 Jun 2020
Essential Road Maintenance to Begin Across North West Trunk Roads
Essential Road Maintenance to Begin Across North West Trunk Roads02 Jun 2020
• Road crews to begin carrying out road marking renewal, road stud work and safety barrier work across routes
• Strict physical distancing protocols in place for safety
A programme of essential maintenance work across trunk roads in the north west of Scotland gets underway this week.
As well as five overnight surfacing projects across the A82 and A83, announced last week, the programme also involves road marking renewal work across the A84 and A85, road stud installations on the A87, A887 and A82, and safety barrier replacement projects at Tyndrum and Letterfindlay on the A82. Other general projects such as coring work will also be carried out at various locations to inform plans for wider surfacing projects expected to take place later this year.
It is vital that this essential maintenance work is carried out in order to maintain the integrity and safety of the trunk road network in the north west of Scotland, helping to ensure it remains safe and reliable for key workers, deliveries and those making essential journeys.
This week teams from BEAR Scotland will begin carrying out the programme of work. While the majority of work will be carried out using mobile working, temporary traffic lights will be in place at some locations to protect teams and road users during the programme of work with signs erected in advance to warn motorists.
Strict physical distancing protocols, in line with Scottish Government guidance, will be in place to ensure all site personnel remain safe as work gets underway. New safe operation procedures and risk assessments have also been developed to ensure teams are kept safe throughout the maintenance work.
Eddie Ross, North West Representative for BEAR Scotland said: “We’re advising all road users that as of this week our teams will be more active on the road network carrying out vital maintenance to ensure key routes are kept safe.
“This work has been prioritised and identified as essential to ensure the trunk road network remains safe for key workers, emergency services, deliveries and those making essential journeys.
“We’ve altered our operations so that strict physical distancing protocols in line with Government guidance can be observed at all times, and we’ll continue to prioritise the safety of our teams and that of our supply chain above all else during this difficult time.
“While traffic levels are generally lower, we still ask all motorists to please slow down and be mindful of any temporary traffic management or road signs in place for the protection of our teams as well as themselves.
“As always we’ll do all we can to ensure that this programme of work is completed as quickly and as safely as possible.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
North East Connections Spring 2020 - out now!21 Apr 2020
The Spring issue of North East Connections is out now!
North East Connections Spring 2020 - out now!21 Apr 2020
The Spring issue of North East Connections, BEAR Scotland's newsletter for the North East Trunk Road Unit, is out now!
Read more about the latest news from the North East network, including a round-up of our winter service, a closer look at an innovative surfacing project on the A92 in Fife as well as an overview of our Traffic and Road Safety team.
Stay up to date with the North East Unit by following us on Twitter @NETrunkRoads or via BEAR Scotland's Instagram page.
Click here to read the latest issue or download a copy via the link below.
BEAR Scotland North East Connections_Stakeholder Newsletter_Spring 2020.pdf
North West Connections - Spring 202008 Apr 2020
North West Connections - Spring 2020 - out now!
North West Connections - Spring 202008 Apr 2020
The latest issue of North West Connections, BEAR Scotland's newsletter for the North West Trunk Road Unit is out now!
Read more about the latest news from the North West network, including a round-up of our winter service, a look back at some of our recent projects and how we've been working with veteran's charity Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company.
Stay up to date with the North West Unit by following us on Twitter @NWTrunkRoads.
Click here to view the latest issue or download a copy via the link below.
BEAR Scotland North West Connections_Stakeholder Newsletter_Spring 2020.pdf
BEAR Scotland response to Covid-19 outbreak26 Mar 2020
BEAR Scotland response to Covid 19 outbreak
BEAR Scotland response to Covid-19 outbreak26 Mar 2020
26.03.20
We are currently working in difficult and unprecedented times. The safety of our employees and supply chain is always of paramount importance and we’re closely following Government advice in relation to our staff and our business. This is changing on a daily basis, and we’re doing our utmost to adhere to any new advice as it emerges.
At present all staff are working from home where possible. We have taken the decision to suspend operations, and are making safe various worksites this week following which only essential services such as our Incident Control Room, winter maintenance, emergency response and essential road safety operations will continue. We’ve also taken steps to make our workplaces as safe as possible with strict protocols in place which limit contact and adhere to social distancing guidance.
As noted, we are currently working to ensure that any ongoing non-essential road maintenance projects are paused and left in a manner which is safe for public use. Any work which was scheduled to begin in the coming weeks will be reprogrammed, and stakeholders will be kept informed of any new dates.
BEAR provides an essential service ensuring the trunk road network across the north of Scotland along with the A92 Dundee to Arbroath and the M80 Stepps to Haggs are fit for the purpose of national resilience including delivery of food and medical supplies, as well as ensuring vital access for the use of the emergency services and critical workers.
We are working to support the Ministerial call for efforts to be focused on delivering critical services to safeguard our road network, helping to ensure that Scotland’s emergency services can still reach those most in need during this difficult time.
We will endeavour to provide updates to this situation as they arise. In the meantime, please stay home and follow advice for keeping safe.