Update – A83 Rest and Be Thankful
Saturday 27 February – 09.30am
OLD MILITARY ROAD REMAINS IN USE FOR ALL ROAD USERS DUE TO HILLSIDE CONDITIONS AND WEATHER FORECAST.
Teams remain on site monitoring conditions.
Update – A83 Rest and Be Thankful
Friday 26 February – 11.30AM
A83 REOPEN DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTIONS OF HILLSIDE
• Traffic now being safely convoyed through A83 between 8am and 5.15pm
• Teams continue to monitor conditions and carry out further hillside checks
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful has reopened to all road users following safety inspections of the hillside after several days of heavy rain earlier this week.
The route had been closed for safety ahead of two weather fronts of heavy rain which moved in last weekend and earlier this week. Around 78mm of rain fell at the Rest throughout Tuesday, which followed a weekend of wet weather with around 130mm of rain impacting the area that caused multiple landslide events overnight on Saturday.
Teams have assessed the hillside and weather forecast and the A83 reopened for all road users at around 9:15 am this morning. The A83 will remain in use each day between 8am and 5.15pm during daylight hours, with all traffic diverted via the Old Military Road overnight outwith these times.
A team of people remain on site and stationed across the hillside to monitor its condition following the recent events that were brought on by heavy rainfall and snow melt.
Teams continue to work on the hillside above the Rest, and it is anticipated that the OMR will be used during the daytime on Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 March as a safety precaution to allow for particularly sensitive boulder stabilisation work to be carried out at the east end of the Rest, some 700m east of the major landslips in August and September last year.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West representative said: “We’re pleased to safely reopen the A83 earlier today following a week of difficult weather conditions at the Rest.
“The road will remain open during daylight hours from 8am to 5.15pm each day, with all road users diverted via the Old Military Road overnight as a safety precaution.
“Teams will remain on site and continue with work to strengthen the mitigation measures in place at the Rest. Work directly above the A83 will be undertaken on Monday and Tuesday at an area 700m east of the major landslips which occurred in August and September last year, which will require traffic to be diverted to use the OMR those days as a safety precaution.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we do everything we can to continue with our work at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 24 February – 09.30AM
LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE AT REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
• Old Military Road now open with road users being convoyed through area
• Teams remain on site monitoring hillside conditions and effects of weather
The Old Military Road local diversion reopened to road users at around 8.25am this morning following a safety inspection of the hillside and close review of weather conditions.
All traffic is now being safely convoyed through the single-track route at Glen Croe, with the route expected to remain open overnight.
The OMR was closed as a safety precaution on Monday at midnight ahead of heavy rain and high winds moving into the area. A total of 78mm of rain was recorded as falling at the Rest on Tuesday, with the local diversion and the A83 closed all day as a precaution.
Further hillside inspections will continue over the course of today given the better weather forecast and this work will inform our plans for a potential re-opening of the A83 during the daytime on Thursday, 8am to 5.15pm. The Old Military Road will continue to be used overnight as a safety precaution.
A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain in the area has been stood down.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been able to reopen the Old Military Road this morning following a first light safety inspection of the hillside and water channels above the route.
“All traffic can now be safely convoyed through Glen Croe via the OMR, and we intend to maintain operation of the route through the night given the improving weather conditions.
“We will be undertaking further inspections of the hillside throughout today and subject to a first light inspection in the morning, we hope to be able to re-open the A83 to traffic during the daytime tomorrow from 8am to 5.15pm, the same as before.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address what is a challenging situation at the Rest.”
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 23 February – 1.15PM
CONTINUED HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WINDS AT REST AND BE THANKFUL PREVENT OLD MILITARY ROAD FROM OPENING ON TUESDAY
• All traffic to continue to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 and A819
• Met Office warnings for heavy rain and high winds in place
• Safety inspection to take place around 9am on Wednesday morning to consider reopening
Continued heavy rain and high winds at the Rest and Be Thankful mean the Old Military Road will remain closed as a safety precaution throughout Tuesday and overnight.
All traffic will continue to be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland teams are patrolling the diversion route to assist motorists and help deal with any issues.
Around 70mm of rain has been recorded as falling at the Rest since early this morning (Tuesday) falling on very saturated ground. Teams have been observing the hillside and monitoring conditions throughout the day, and with further rain anticipated this afternoon and overnight the decision has been made to keep the Old Military Road closed.
A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain is in place until 11am tomorrow with a high winds warning is in place until 6pm this evening. An amber warning for heavy rain across central Scotland is in place until 6am tomorrow morning which could also impact on the Rest.
A thorough hillside safety inspection will take place on Wednesday morning ahead of a potential reopening of the local diversion route from around 9am if conditions permit.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Unfortunately the adverse weather conditions at the Rest and Be Thankful have continued throughout the morning with considerably more rain than expected. With more forecast through the evening we have made the decision to keep the OMR closed.
“Teams remain on site working in challenging conditions to monitor the hillside and will continue to observe the area overnight.
“A thorough inspection will take place tomorrow morning ahead of making a decision about the potential reopening of the route from around 9am.
“As ever we need to ensure we’re putting road user safety first and we will only reopen the OMR if we’re certain it is safe to do so.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we continue to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Tuesday 23 February – 10.35AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD AT REST AND BE THANKFUL TO REMAIN CLOSED THROUGHOUT TUESDAY MORNING DUE TO HEAVY RAIN
• Review to take place at midday to consider reopening
• All traffic to continue to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 and A819
• Met Office warnings for heavy rain and high winds in place
The Old Military Road at the Rest and Be Thankful will remain closed throughout Tuesday morning due to continuous heavy rain and high winds in the area.
The local diversion route was closed at the Rest at midnight last night as a safety precaution ahead of the adverse weather conditions forecast in the area.
All traffic will continue to be diverted by the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland teams will continue to patrol the route to help assist with any issues and help keep traffic moving.
Teams remain on site at the Rest and will continue to assess the hillside and weather conditions in the area throughout the morning with a review taking place at midday to consider if it is safe to reopen the OMR.
Met Office yellow warnings for heavy rain and high winds are currently in force, covering the Rest and Be Thankful area until 11am tomorrow. An amber warning for rain will be in place from midday across parts of central Scotland which could also impact the Rest.
Planned surfacing improvements due to take place last night on the A83 at Drishaig near Cainrdow were postponed due to the weather conditions with the project to be reprogrammed in March.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re carefully monitoring the conditions in the area and reviewing the hillside at the Rest, and at the moment we’re keeping the OMR closed due to heavy rain and high winds.
“All traffic is continuing to be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray and our teams are out patrolling the diversion to help with any issues.
“We need to continue to put safety first and we’ll only open the OMR if we are content it is safe for road users.
“We’ll review the situation at midday and consider if safe for us to reopen the route this afternoon.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we continue to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Monday 22 February – 12.30PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION TO REMAIN IN USE UNTIL MIDNIGHT
• All traffic to be diverted onto standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 and A819 from 00.01AM Tuesday morning
• Debris clear-up operations on Old Military Road complete
• Met Office warnings for heavy rain and high winds in place from early Tuesday morning until 6pm on Wednesday
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful will remain in use for road users throughout Monday and will close at midnight as a safety precaution ahead of further heavy rain and high winds forecast.
From midnight tonight all traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland teams will patrol the route overnight to help assist with any issues and help keep traffic moving.
The Old Military Road reopened at around 8am this morning (Monday) following a thorough safety inspection and completion of a clear-up operation to remove around 250 tonnes of debris from the route. Geotechnical specialists remain on site monitoring conditions and carrying out detailed assessments and inspections of the hillside.
The OMR was closed as a safety precaution late afternoon on Saturday due to increased heavy rain at the Rest following several days of intense rainfall.
Multiple events occurred along sections of the Rest overnight on Saturday which resulted in around 700 tonnes of debris collectively prevented from reaching the roadside at both the A83 and OMR due to the debris catch-pits, fences and protective bund.
Around 250 tonnes of silt and debris was deposited on the OMR at an area not protected by the bund as a result of material being washed down the lower hillside channels by the substantial amount of water. This was cleared throughout Sunday ahead of this morning’s reopening of the route.
The Met Office has issued new yellow warnings for heavy rain and high winds which covers the Rest and Be Thankful area in Argyll from early Tuesday morning until 6pm on Wednesday. An amber warning for heavy rain is also in place across parts of central Scotland from 12 noon Tuesday until 12 noon on Wednesday which could also impact on the Rest.
Teams will carefully assess the forecast and conditions tomorrow morning before considering if safe to reopen the OMR during the daytime. Forecasters estimate substantial heavy rain showers are expected throughout Tuesday and a detailed assessment of the hillside will be required to determine if the OMR can reopen.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “This weekend saw numerous events occur along the 1.2km stretch of the Rest and Be Thankful, with multiple slips impacting the mitigation measures we have in place.
“Around 700 tonnes of debris was collectively prevented from reaching the OMR and A83 due to the catch-pits, debris fences and protective bund, which our teams have now removed to ensure the measures are functioning at full capacity.
“The measures taken to channel water high on the hillside have also been successful in avoiding triggering a landslide the scale experienced in August and September 2020.
“Unfortunately though the OMR had a further 250 tonnes of material reach the road at a location to the west of the bund due to the sheer volume of water overwhelming the channels in the slope above. This was readily cleared up and inspected ahead of the route reopening shortly after 8am this morning.
“We’re working on a safety-first approach and with further heavy rain and high winds moving in overnight and given the fresh scars caused by the weekend’s events and the high level of saturation we’ve made the decision along with Transport Scotland to close the OMR from midnight tonight.
“All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route from midnight, and we’ll review the area at first light to consider if safe to reopen. With the adverse weather conditions expected to continue until Wednesday we will only open the OMR if we are certain it is safe to do so.
“We understand the frustration that this causes however it is important we prioritise road users safety above all else whist we deal with these unprecedented conditions on the hillside. We thank all motorists and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to continue with the ongoing work at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Monday 22 February – 08.15AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD OPEN AS LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
Teams continue to carry out inspections of hillside. Further update to follow.
Sunday 21 February – 12.30PM
A83 AND OLD MILITARY ROAD AT REST AND BE THANKFUL TO REMAIN CLOSED THROUGHOUT SUNDAY FOLLOWING MULTIPLE EVENTS OVERNIGHT
• All traffic is being diverted using standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819
• Inspection to take place on Monday morning to consider reopening of Old Military Road
The A83 and Old Military Road will both remain closed throughout Sunday after a number of events occurred at different locations along the route at the Rest and Be Thankful following several days of intense rain.
All traffic will continue to be directed to use the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819.
The local diversion route was closed as a precaution late afternoon on Saturday after conditions began to turn at the Rest, with heavy rain contributing to high saturation on the hillside and significant surface water on parts of the OMR.
Around 130mm of rain has been recorded as falling at the Rest and Be Thankful since early Friday morning, with 280mm recorded in total throughout the week. This rainfall has contributed to an already saturated hillside following significant snowmelt brought on by milder temperatures.
Overnight, debris has been identified at multiple locations along the hillside above the A83, with the new bund, a debris-fence and two roadside catch-pits having caught nearly 700 tonnes of material between them, preventing significant material from inundating the trunk road.
Around 250 tonnes of silt and debris has also been deposited on the OMR as a result of material being washed down the lower hillside channels by the substantial amount of surface water experienced. Teams are currently working in challenging conditions to assess the various sections and as clean-up operations get underway.
The Old Military Road will remain closed today with an inspection to take place at first light on Monday morning to consider if safe to reopen the local diversion through Glen Croe.
Western Ferries is providing an extra boat as necessary on their Gourock to Dunoon service as an alternative to the standard diversion route for road users.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR and A83 were closed as a safety precaution late afternoon yesterday after conditions began to deteriorate in the area and significant surface water began to pose a risk to the operation of the local diversion in Glen Croe.
“Overnight there has been various debris events across the hillside where mitigation measures are in place at the Rest. Initial assessments indicate that almost 700 tonnes of debris has been collectively prevented from inundating the A83 following the recent significant heavy rain fall. We now need to inspect these areas and establish the condition of the mitigation measures before we can begin to remove the debris safely.
“Whilst the new OMR bund has been successful in retaining debris, the OMR has been affected by a significant deposit of material, at a section not covered by the bund, which will require a full clear-up operation before we can open the route.
“In the meantime, all traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion between Inveraray and Tarbet for safety.
“We’re continuing with a safety-first approach and we thank all road users as well as the local community for their continued patience while we work to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Sunday 21 February – 7.45AM
A83 AND OLD MILITARY ROAD CLOSED AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
Overnight there have been a number of events at various sections along the Rest and be Thankful. These are currently being assessed by geotechnical specialists.
In the meantime the OMR will not open this morning. A further update will be issued around mid-day.
The standard diversion route for the A83 via the A82, A85 and A819 will continue to be utilised by all traffic. Ferry options are also available.
We apologise for the inconvenience that this closure may cause.
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Saturday 20 February – 1.45pM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN IN USE THROUGHOUT SATURDAY NIGHT
• All traffic will continue to be safely convoyed through Glen Croe using Old Military Road during hours of darkness
• A83 re-opening to be considered following first light inspection on Sunday morning
• Teams continue to monitor hillside
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful will remain in use for all road users travelling through Glen Croe during the hours of darkness on Saturday night.
The route was closed for safety reasons on Friday night with approximately 78mm of rain having fallen during the day, but reopened this morning shortly after 8am following a first light inspection.
The heavy rainfall forecast this afternoon is expected to ease during early evening, and teams have been closely assessing conditions in the area as well as any impact on the hillside and water channels.
Teams are satisfied at this time that the Old Military Road can be operated with appropriate convoy controls in place overnight. However, should conditions deteriorate, the local diversion route may be forced to close and traffic then directed to use the standard diversion route (A82, A85, A819).
A Met Office warning for heavy rain has been updated and remains in place across most of Argyll until 11pm tonight, with teams continuing to monitor the hillside.
Should weather and hillside conditions permit on Sunday morning, teams will work to reopen the A83 for use during daylight hours if safe to do so.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been assessing the hillside and monitoring weather conditions in the area, and have determined that it is safe for us to continue to operate the Old Military Road on Saturday night for all road users.
“As ever we’ll continue to keep an eye on the weather and any changes that may affect the use of the OMR however, with a dedicated team on site who will continue to observe and monitor conditions.
“If conditions allow tomorrow we’ll look to try and reopen the A83 during daylight hours but we’ll assess this fully tomorrow morning.
“Road user safety remains of most importance, and we thank all motorists and the local community for their patience while we continue to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Saturday 20 February – 8.45AM
LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE REOPENED AT REST AND BE THANKFUL FOLLOWING SAFETY CHECK
• All traffic is being safely convoyed through Glen Croe using Old Military Road
• Met Office yellow heavy rain warning in place from 12 noon on Saturday until 3am on Sunday
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened to road users at around 8am this morning (Saturday) following a safety check by geotechnical specialists.
All traffic is being safely convoyed using the single track road, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, after it was closed for safety reasons yesterday evening due to heavy rain falling over the course of the day.
A Met Office warning for heavy rain is in place across most of Argyll from 12 noon today until 3am tomorrow. Teams are closely monitoring conditions in the area as well as observing the hillside for any changes.
Inspections will take place throughout the day to determine plans for road operation overnight Saturday into Sunday.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR reopened this morning following a safety inspection by our teams at first light.
“Road user safety is our top priority, and we are conducting regular inspections to assess the hillside and the channels for any sign of change following yesterday’s heavy rain and snow melt. We’ll share another update later today utilising the information gathered to outline our operational plans for the rest of the weekend.
“We have a team of people on site monitoring conditions on the hillside and we’ll continue to ensure people are kept safe when travelling through Glen Croe.
“We thank the local community and motorists for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 19 February – 3.00PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION TO CLOSE FROM 6PM TONIGHT AT REST AND BE THANKFUL DUE TO CONTINUED HEAVY RAIN
• All traffic to be diverted via standard diversion on A82, A85 and A819 overnight
• Inspection to take place at first light Saturday morning to consider reopening
• Almost 60mm of rain has fallen at Rest and Be Thankful since Thursday midnight
Persistent heavy rainfall at the Rest and Be Thankful has meant that Old Military Road will close overnight from 6pm as a safety precaution.
All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819 from 6pm overnight.
A geotechnical inspection will take place at first light on Saturday morning to assess if it is safe to reopen the Old Military Road to road users.
Since midnight on Thursday, almost 60mm of rain has been recorded of falling on the hillside at the Rest and Be Thankful, with up to 30mm of further rain expected by midnight tonight (Friday). Teams have been closely monitoring the condition of the hillside using specialist equipment to note any changes. Mild temperatures are also creating additional snowmelt in the area, with heavy water flows noted in the channels on the slope.
Should conditions in the area deteriorate further before 6pm the Old Military Road may close at an earlier time on the basis of safety.
A yellow Met Office warning for heavy rain is currently in force across most of Argyll until 9pm, with another heavy rain warning in place from 12 noon tomorrow until 3am on Sunday.
The A83 has been closed as a precaution since Wednesday evening with traffic running on the Old Military Road local diversion through Glen Croe. A large 175m long protective bund is in place at the area of most recent concern next to the roadside of the OMR, which has allowed the route to safely remain open during the most recent period of heavy rain. However, with further significant rain forecast and with increased water flows being witnessed at a number of other locations across the hillside, teams have made the decision to close the OMR overnight as a safety precaution.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been experiencing very challenging conditions in the operation of the OMR and we have been closely monitoring hillside conditions throughout the day including the levels of water present in the channels on the hillside.
“With almost 60mm falling in the area since midnight alone, coupled with more heavy rain forecast this evening, and with snow melt contributing to high saturation levels on the hill,we’ve taken the decision along with Transport Scotland to close the Old Military Road as a safety precaution from 6pm.
“All traffic will be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the standard diversion of A82, A85 and A819 from 6pm. We’ll review the area at first light tomorrow morning (Saturday) to determine if it is safe to reopen the road.
“At the moment we have a team of people on site monitoring conditions on the hillside, and if conditions take a significant turn we’ll have to implement the standard diversion earlier for safety reasons if required.
“We understand motorists’ frustration with such closures but we have to continue to prioritise road user safety at all times.
“We thank the local community and motorists for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Thursday 18 February – 5.15PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN IN USE UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING DUE TO HEAVY RAIN
• All motorists will be convoyed through OMR local diversion through Glen Croe
• Yellow Met Office warnings for heavy rain issued across area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning
• Increased monitoring of hillside to ensure route remains safe for road users
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful is to remain in use both day and night until Sunday morning as a safety precaution due to continued heavy rain forecasts.
The single-track route, which runs parallel to the A83 through the centre of Glen Croe, has been in use throughout the day today (Thursday) due to heavy rain showers impacting the hillside since early morning.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain throughout Friday from 6am to 9pm which includes most of Argyll. A second yellow warning for heavy rain is also in place from Saturday 12 noon until 3am Sunday morning which covers a similar area.
The Old Military Road is able to remain open during the forecast heavy rain as the area of most recent concern is protected by a 175m long, 6.6m high bund which acts as a barrier against debris from a potential landslip. Teams will remain on high alert and operation of the route may be closed if conditions deteriorate significantly in the area.
Geotechnical specialists continue to monitor and assess the condition of the hillside and report any changes. In addition to the heavy rain, milder temperatures are creating snow melt from the hillside which is also being monitored and assessed.
The A83 will remain closed until Sunday morning when an inspection will take place ahead of the planned reopening. If weather conditions ease during the daytime the route will reopen at an earlier opportunity during daylight hours if considered safe to do so.
The OMR was closed early this morning (Thursday) for a few hours as a safety precaution due to intense heavy rain in the early hours this morning. This resulted in around 20 tonnes of material being captured in one of the debris nets. The route reopened around 7.45am following an inspection by teams at first light.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West representative said: “We’ve reviewed the weather forecast over the next few days and have made the decision to keep the Old Military Road in operation during the daytime, with the A83 remaining closed as a safety precaution.
“With the protective bund in place next to the OMR we have greater confidence in being able to safely operate the local diversion through the section of most recent concern during the forecast heavy rain, however we’ll keep it under close review should conditions deteriorate significantly on any part of the hillside.
“We have teams continuously monitoring the hillside using specialist equipment and gauges to ensure we have an accurate understanding of the slope and any changes in conditions in the area due to the heavy rain and snow melt.
“With further wet weather forecast until Sunday we’ll continue to ensure we’re doing all we can to keep road users safe and minimise disruption to journey times through Glen Croe as much as possible.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Tuesday 16 February – 9.00AM
INCREASED DAYLIGHT EXTENDS OPENING HOURS OF A83 AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
• A83 now open 8am to 5.15pm each day when weather conditions allow
• Old Military Road continues to be in use for all road users overnight
• Heavy rain forecast later this week with daily monitoring and assessments of the hillside taking place
Daily opening hours at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful have been extended by a further 30 minutes this week as the hours of daylight continue to grow longer.
The A83 will now be open from around 8am to 5.15pm each day when weather conditions allow, with all motorists being safely convoyed through the area. All traffic will continue to be diverted via the Old Military Road overnight as a safety precaution during the hours of darkness.
Heavy rain is forecast to move in this week after a relatively long cold and dry period of weather in the area. Teams are continuing with daily monitoring and assessments of the hillside to determine if the wet weather will have any impact in the area.
As a safety precaution the Old Military Road will remain on stand-by during the daytime ready to be used as an alternative route through Glen Croe should hillside conditions deteriorate.
Engineers are continuing to progress with further mitigation work at the A83, including construction of a debris catch-pit next to the roadside.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West representative said: “Longer daylight hours mean we can safely extend the opening of the A83 by a further 30 minutes per day.
“We’re continuing to divert road users through the Old Military Road which runs parallel to the A83 through the centre of the Glen Croe overnight as a safety precaution.
“With a wet weather front expected to move in later this week we’re continuing to carefully monitor the hillside and weather conditions in the area to establish if there is any impact in the area. The OMR will remain on standby ready for us to safely implement quickly should conditions take a turn during the daytime.
“As ever we thank all road users for their continued patience while we progress with our ongoing mitigation work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 8 February – 1.15PM
LONGER DAYS EXTEND A83 OPENING HOURS
• A83 to remain open 8.15am to 5pm when weather conditions allow
• Old Military Road to remain in use during hours of darkness with traffic being safely convoyed through Glen Croe
• Work continues to strengthen mitigation measures in the area
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful will be open for longer each day as teams are able to safely assess and monitor the hillside over an extended period due to more daylight hours.
The A83 opening hours have been extended to 8.15am to 5pm each day with traffic being safely convoyed through the area when weather conditions allow. All traffic will continue to be switched to the single-track Old Military Road which runs through the centre of Glen Croe outwith daylight hours.
With colder temperatures and potential snow forecast in the area in the coming days, a dedicated salt spreader will be deployed to treat both the A83 and Old Military Road to ensure both routes remain safe at all times.
Work continues to strengthen mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83 as well as in the steep channel beneath the A83 formed by landslips of last August and September. Engineers also continue to develop the next catch-pit at the A83 roadside, which will help prevent any debris from potential landslips reaching the carriageway.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “With the days continuing to get longer we’re confident we can safely extend the opening hours of the A83 further.
“This is due to our teams being safely able to start the necessary daily checks of the hillside area earlier, with safe on-site monitoring of the hillside now available until later in the afternoon.
“We’re continuing to divert all road users via the Old Military Road from 5pm, with the local diversion route operating through the night as a safety precaution. Teams continue with work to develop further mitigation measures in the area, with teams monitoring and assessing the hillside and weather conditions in the area at all times.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we progress with our ongoing mitigation work at the Rest and Be Thankful.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 25 January – 3.15PM
A83 EXTENDED OPENING HOURS AT REST AND BE THANKFUL DUE TO LONGER DAYLIGHT HOURS
• A83 to remain open 8.30am to 4.30pm when weather conditions allow
• Old Military Road to remain in use during hours of darkness with traffic being safely convoyed through Glen Croe
• Work continues to strengthen mitigation measures in the area
Opening hours of the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful have been extended further as the days grow longer and teams are able to safely assess and monitor the hillside each day.
Traffic will now be safely convoyed through the A83 from 8.30am to 4.30pm each day when weather conditions allow, with all traffic being switched to the single-track Old Military Road which runs through the centre of Glen Croe outwith daylight hours.
Teams continue to strengthen mitigation measures in the area, with further work being carried out on the steep channel below the A83 formed by multiple landslips in 2020. Work also continues to build the next catch-pit at the A83 roadside, designed to prevent any debris from potential landslips reaching the carriageway.
Last week engineers completed a 175m long, 6.6m tall temporary bund next to the Old Military Road, which is designed to act as a protective barrier on the route and provide additional resilience during adverse weather conditions in the area.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “As the days are beginning to get longer we can start our daily monitoring and checks of the area earlier, meaning we can safely increase the length of time the A83 is open for.
“We’re continuing to divert all road users via the Old Military Road from 4.30pm during the hours of darkness as a safety precaution. Teams continue with work to develop further mitigation measures in the area, with teams monitoring and assessing the hillside and weather conditions in the area at all times.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we progress with our ongoing mitigation work at the Rest and Be Thankful.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 18 January – 10.15AM
INSTALLATION OF PROTECTIVE BUND ON OLD MILITARY ROAD COMPLETE PROVIDING EXTRA PROTECTION TO ROAD USERS
• Bund will act as a barrier on the route, creating additional landslip mitigation in area
Installation of a protective bund next to the Old Military Road at the Rest and Be Thankful is now complete following several weeks of construction.
The 175m long, 6.6m high bund will act as a protective barrier to provide additional protection to road users of the Old Military Road through Glen Croe. The barrier is formed using a modular system favoured by the military, with individual units stacked together to create a defensive wall across the foot of the vulnerable channel carved by two large landslips in 2020.
The bund provides greater confidence in being able to safely keep the Old Military Road open for road users during inclement weather conditions.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “I’m really pleased to see this protective bund completed, making the local diversion route more reliable and offering welcome reassurance to local road users.
“This is important progress towards improving the resilience of the Old Military Road and I would like to put on record my thanks to the teams involved for all of their efforts.
“Alongside these measures, Transport Scotland continues to explore future works for the hillside to bolster the resilience of this key corridor route.”
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said:
“We’re pleased to see the temporary bund completed on the Old Military Road, meaning we can have greater confidence that we can safely keep the alternative route open for road users when the weather conditions worsen.
“This work, together with the successful installation of the in-channel barrier above the A83 which was completed before Christmas, means we’re continuing to strengthen the landslip resilience in the area following two large landslips in 2020.
“We’re continuously monitoring the hillside and weather conditions in the area, and we’ll continue with work to progress with further mitigation work on the A83 at the Rest.
“As ever we thank the local community and motorists for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing issues at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 14 January – 3.30PM
LONGER DAYS MEAN A83 AT REST AND BE THANKFUL TO REMAIN OPEN 8.45AM TO 4PM WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ALLOW, STARTING FRIDAY
• Traffic to be safely convoyed through A83 during daylight hours
• Old Military Road alternative route to remain in use during hours of darkness as a safety precaution
• Scottish Water manhole repair work planned overnight on Friday 15 January, requiring overnight closure of A83 at Arrochar
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful will remain open for an extended period each day as the hours of daylight grow longer.
Starting on Friday, the A83 will be in use from 8.45am to 4pm each day when weather conditions allow, with traffic being safely convoyed through the area. All road users will be diverted via the Old Military
Road alternative route, which runs through the centre of Glen Croe, during the hours of darkness as a safety precaution.
Winter snowploughs have been working hard to keep the A83 and Old Military Road free from ice and snow during the most recent snowfall and low temperatures. During these conditions drivers should anticipate somewhat longer journey times.
On Friday night Scottish Water will also be carrying out vital manhole repairs to a section of the A83 in Arrochar. A short section of Main Street A83 between TwoStones B&B and the Lochside Guesthouse will be closed from 9pm Friday to 6am Saturday to enable Scottish Water’s contractors Kier to carry out vital manhole repairs.
A diversion route will be in place from the junction of A814 traveling southbound on the A83 back to Inveraray by taking the A819 up to A85. On traveling eastbound the diversion is on A85 until to Crianlarich on the A82 until Tarbet.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “As the days continue to grow we’re able to keep the A83 open slightly longer from around 8.45am to 4pm each day.
“All traffic will then be convoyed through Glen Croe via the OMR outwith these times, during the hours of darkness, as a safety precaution.
“Tomorrow night (Friday) see’s Scottish Water carrying out urgent and essential repair work on the A83 at Arrochar from 9pm to 6am, with the road requiring to close for safety overnight. We advise all road users to plan their journeys in advance.
“As ever we thank the local community and motorists for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing issues at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Tuesday 12 January – 10.45AM
A83 AT REST AND BE THANKFUL OPEN DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS UNDER CONVOY OPERATION, 9AM – 3.30PM
• A83 reopened this morning following safety inspection after heavy rain on Monday
• Old Military Road to remain in use during hours of darkness as a safety precaution
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful has reopened under convoy operation during daylight hours following a safety inspection this morning.
The route was closed during the daytime yesterday (Monday) following a Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain issued across the west coast of Scotland.
All traffic is now being safely convoyed through the A83 between 9am and 3.30pm, with all road users being diverted via the Old Military Road (OMR) during the hours of darkness as a safety precaution.
Work continues to strengthen the temporary bund on the roadside at the OMR, which has been designed to act as a barrier to the alternative route, providing additional resilience and greater confidence in safely keeping the route open in inclement weather.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The A83 reopened this morning following an inspection by our geotechnical teams after yesterday’s heavy rain.
“We’ll continue to closely monitor weather conditions in the area and ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep road users safe.
“As ever we thank the local community and motorists for their patience while we continue with work to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 11 January – 11.50am
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN IN USE TODAY FOR ALL ROAD USERS AT REST AND BE THANKFUL DUE TO YELLOW WEATHER WARNING FOR HEAVY RAIN
• All traffic to continue to be convoyed through Glen Croe on OMR as a safety precaution
• A83 to remain closed on Monday with assessment to take place early AM on Tuesday to consider reopening A83 during daytime
• Met Office Yellow warning for heavy rain in place until 6pm
Road users at the Rest and Be Thankful will continue to be diverted via the Old Military Road through Glen Croe during the daytime today (Monday) due to forecast heavy rain in the area.
The A83 will remain closed throughout the day as a safety precaution with an assessment set to take place tomorrow morning to consider if safe to reopen during daylight hours.
A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain is in place across the west coast of Scotland until 6pm, and teams continue to closely monitor conditions in the area.
Work continues on completing the temporary bund next to the roadside on the OMR which will act as a protective barrier for road users on the route. Teams are also progressing with additional mitigation measures on the OMR.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been closely monitoring the weather forecast and have decided to keep the A83 closed during the daytime today as a safety precaution, with traffic continuing to use the OMR as they had been during hours of darkness.
“We’ll review conditions in the area tomorrow morning and determine if it is safe to reopen the A83 during daylight hours as before.
“As ever we’re continuing to prioritise motorist safety at all times, and will ensure that we’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 9 January – 2.30PM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL TO REOPEN UNDER CONVOY OPERATION THROUGH GLEN CROE DURING DAYTIME FROM FRIDAY, 9AM TO 3.30PM.
• A83 to operate during daylight hours only with Old Military Road to be in use through Glen Croe during hours of darkness
• Debris fence completed on hillside above A83 to provide further protection to road users
• Strengthening of temporary bund on OMR nearing completion which will provide additional protection to motorists during hours of darkness
• Heavy rain forecast early next week
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful is to be brought back into service from Friday morning as part of a strategy that will see daytime operation of the A83 when conditions permit and night-time operation of the Old Military Road (OMR).
Implementation of this strategy, which will involve traffic being convoyed through Glen Croe on either the A83 or OMR, comes after a series of mitigation measures have been implemented on the hillside to protect motorists in the area.
From Friday, motorists will be safely convoyed in single file along the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful during daylight hours, 9am to 3.30pm, ensuring traffic can be safely managed past the steep roadside channels during daylight hours when conditions allow.
Heavy rainfall is forecast at the start of next week so the daytime use of the A83 on Monday and Tuesday will be kept under review.
Due to the difficulties in monitoring the hillside above the A83 overnight, all road users will be diverted via the Old Military Road, a single-track road which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, during the hours of darkness to ensure they are kept safe at all times.
The A83 has been closed for safety due to a series of major landslips experienced in 2020. Teams have worked continuously to design and install new mitigation measures adjacent to the OMR and on the hillside above the A83 which will help provide more resilient routes for traffic through Glen Croe.
A temporary bund next to the OMR roadside measuring 175m in length and 6.6m in height has also been installed, with teams working round the clock throughout the festive period to complete the work. The bund is designed to act as a barrier, providing additional resilience to the alternative route through the glen and provide greater confidence in keeping the route open in inclement weather.
Geotechnical teams continue to monitor the hillside and conditions in the area, with engineers progressing with further construction work on another debris catch-pit on the A83 which will provide further resilience to the route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re pleased to reopen the A83 during the daytime from tomorrow after teams have completed a series of mitigation measures at road level and on the hillside above the route.
“As a safety precaution, the Old Military Road will continue to be used overnight for all road users due to the difficulties in being able to safely monitor the slopes above the A83 during the hours of darkness. Motorist safety remains our top priority and we need to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep road users safe at all times.
“With heavy rain forecast from Monday next week, it’s likely the OMR will remain in use during the daytime early next week, however we’ll continue to monitor conditions and ensure we’re putting safety first.
“The temporary bund on the OMR is nearing completion which will help provide greater protection to road users on the alternative route, giving us greater confidence in being able to keep the route open should weather conditions deteriorate.
“Work also continues on the catch-pits next to the A83, which will help provide greater resilience to the route.
“We’ll continue to closely observe the weather forecast and conditions in the area, with geotechnical teams closely monitoring the hillside.
“As ever we thank the local community and road users for their patience in advance while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
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 31 December – 10:10AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN IN USE OVER THE NEW YEAR PERIOD SHOULD WEATHER CONDITIONS ALLOW
24/7 Convoy will remain in operation for all road users through Glen Croe
Teams will continue to carry out daily monitoring of weather conditions in area
Mitigation works and monitoring of hillside conditions continue
Road users advised to check Traffic Scotland for most recent travel information
The Old Military Road local diversion route is set to remain in use over the New Year period as an alternative route to the A83 through Glen Croe with teams closely monitoring the forecast weather conditions in the area.
Throughout the festive period, geotechnical specialists have conducted daily inspections on the hillside to monitor for any change in condition. In addition, engineers have been taking the opportunity to further strengthen the mitigation measures adjacent to the OMR that were completed before Christmas.
Given the reasonable weather forecast anticipated in coming days, traffic will be safely convoyed through Glen Croe 24/7, with teams on site continuing to monitor for any changes in conditions.
However, road users are advised to check Traffic Scotland for the most up to date travel information for trunk roads in Scotland, including the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North Representative said: “The OMR continues to operate well as a local diversion route through Glen Croe, and we intend to keep it running throughout the New Year period as a safe alternative route to the A83, which remains closed.
“As ever, we’re continuing to put road user safely first, and teams are closely monitoring weather and hillside conditions on a daily basis with operation of the OMR kept under close review should conditions deteriorate.
“We urge all road users to check Traffic Scotland for the latest travel information, which provides in real-time information about all of Scotland’s trunk roads including the A83.
“As ever we thank all road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest, and we urge those who need to travel to plan ahead and to drive safely and carefully.
“Finally, we wish everyone a Happy New Year and thank everyone for the kind gifts and comments directed toward our workforce throughout the festive period.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 28 December – 09:15AM
A83 Rest and be Thankful
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route will continue to operate on a 24/7 basis until advised otherwise.
Storm Bella has passed through and we are now into a period of settled dry but cold weather. Work has recommenced after a short break which will see the further bolstering of the OMR bund with a view to getting it to full height in early January.
As ever, we will continue to monitor the weather and conditions. Further updates will be issued if there are changes to the plan and it is always worth checking with www.trafficscotland.org before travelling.
Sunday 27 December – 09:45AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD AT THE REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENED
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest And Be Thankful has now fully reopened following its temporary closure as a safety precaution.
With continued monitoring of the hillside conditions and safe convoying of traffic along the Old Military Road, it is hoped to maximise use of the route through the festive period. Teams will continue to closely monitor weather forecasts and hillside saturation levels over the holidays, with decisions on the use of the diversion being made and announced daily.
Road users are advised to check Traffic Scotland for the most up to date travel information. Real-time journey information is available at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 24 December – 2:00PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD AT THE REST AND BE THANKFUL TO CLOSE FROM 3.30PM ON BOXING DAY AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FORECAST
Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain issued from 9am until midnight Saturday 26 December (Boxing Day).
OMR to remain open throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas Day before closing at 3.30pm on Boxing Day.
Route to remain open during daylight hours on Boxing Day, subject to engineer’s assessment of on-site conditions.
Safety inspection to be conducted at first light on Sunday 27 December to inform OMR re-opening decision.
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and be Thankful will remain open over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day before closing at 3.30pm on Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December) in response to the heavy rain forecast over the course of the day.
A Met Office yellow warning has been issued across the west of Scotland from 9am until midnight on 26 December, with up to 50mm of rain forecast to fall at the Rest and Be Thankful.
New mitigation measures, including an in-channel debris barrier on the hillside, and a roadside bund adjacent to the OMR, have added greater resilience to the operation of the route through Glen Croe and should enable traffic operation during daylight hours despite the weather warning. Had these measures not been implemented, the OMR would have been forced to close for safety reasons during the early evening period on Christmas Day in preparation for the incoming weather, with all traffic being directed to use the standard diversion route overnight and throughout Boxing Day.
Assessments on the slopes above the A83 indicate that the hillside remains highly saturated as a result of recent weather, and with further persistent heavy rainfall expected on Boxing Day, the decision has been taken to close the OMR during the hours of darkness from 26 to 27 December.
From 3.30pm on Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December) all traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray using the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland teams will complete patrols on the diversion route to assist with any issues and help keep traffic moving.
Western Ferries will also continue to operate their scheduled service.
A safety assessment will take place at first light on Sunday 27 December to consider re-opening of the OMR.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “A yellow warning has been issued for heavy rain on Boxing Day, with up to 50mm of rain forecast at the Rest and be Thankful over the course of the day.
“The rainfall expected will inundate what is already a highly saturated hillside; however, with further mitigation measures now in place to protect the OMR, and with engineers on site to monitor conditions, we anticipate being able to operate the local diversion route for a period of this weather warning.
“Persistent rain is expected over a 24 hour period, presenting the first big test for the new mitigation measures installed on the hillside and adjacent to the OMR, and with this in mind we have taken the decision, with Transport Scotland, to close the OMR from 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon as a safety precaution during the hours of darkness.
“All traffic will be diverted from 3.30pm on Saturday using the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray, and Western Ferries will continue to operate their scheduled service.
“Teams will carry out a safety inspection from first light on Sunday 27 December to inform the decision to re-open the OMR to traffic.
“We understand the frustration that this causes, however it is essential that we continue to implement a safety-first approach and do everything we can to keep road users safe.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time information is available from www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Tuesday 22 December – 2.10PM
LANDSLIDE MEASURES IMPLEMENTED TO IMPROVE RESILIENCE OF OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE OVER THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD
A debris barrier has now been completed on the hillside
Construction of the first phase of a large bund next to the OMR will be in place by Christmas
Teams will continue to carry out daily monitoring of conditions in area
Road users advised to check Traffic Scotland for most recent travel information
Significant progress has been made on the construction of new landslide mitigation barriers that will help improve the resilience of the A83 Rest and be Thankful Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route over the Christmas period.
A debris barrier has now been installed in the vulnerable channel caused by the landslips in August and September. In addition, good progress continues to be made on the construction of a temporary bund which will form a barrier next to the OMR below the same channel. The first phase of work is expected to be completed by Christmas, which will see the barrier built to its full 175m length and will stand at least 2.2m in height, providing extra resilience to the local diversion. The remaining phase, which will see the barrier built up to its full height, will be completed in early January.
Together with the continued monitoring of the hillside conditions and the 24/7 safe convoying of traffic along the Old Military Road, it is hoped to maximise use of the route through the festive period. Teams will continue to closely monitor weather forecasts and hillside saturation levels over the holidays, with decisions on the use of the diversion being made and announced daily.
Therefore, road users are advised to check Traffic Scotland for the most up to date travel information for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful through the festive period.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North Representative said: “The OMR continues to operate well as a local diversion route for road users while the A83 remains closed, and we will continue to operate it throughout the festive period when conditions permit. The current forecast up to and including Christmas Day look favourable although we are closely monitoring the forecast for Boxing Day which looks very wet.
“Our teams continue to work to complete the programme of mitigation measures on both the A83 and OMR. It is pleasing to see the debris barrier now in place on the hillside above the A83 and progress has also been made on the first phase of works to construct a temporary 175m long bund next to the OMR across the foot of the vulnerable channel. This will see a continuous barrier created between 2.2 and 6 metres high along the full length. In early January the full bund will be completed to a 6-metre height. These measures are all factored into the daily decision-making process, along with weather and hillside conditions, and will help improve the resilience of the route.
“We urge all road users to check Traffic Scotland for the latest travel information, which provides in real-time information about all of Scotland’s trunk roads including the A83.
“As ever we thank all road users for their patience while we do everything, we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said: “This is really encouraging progress as we work hard to improve the resilience of the Old Military Road as a local diversion route, and I would like to thank the teams involved for all of their efforts.
“The completion of this phase of work will make the local diversion more reliable, offering reassurance to local road users.
“Alongside these measures, Transport Scotland is also exploring future works for the hillside to bolster the resilience of this key corridor route.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 18 December – 4.15PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE REMAINS IN USE FOR ROAD USERS THROUGH GLEN CROE
• Teams continue with construction of mitigation measures on the OMR and A83
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful continues to be in use as an alternative route through Glen Croe while the A83 remains closed.
The single-track road, which runs parallel to the A83, is operating well for all motorists with traffic being safely convoyed through the route.
Teams continue with work to complete a programme of mitigation measures on both the OMR and the A83, which will help provide additional protection to both routes in Glen Croe. These works include a new debris fence above the A83 which is being constructed in the steep channel caused by landslips in August and September, as well as a temporary bund which will form a barrier next to the OMR roadside across the foot of the vulnerable channel.
Construction of the bund is making good progress after some initial delays due to weather, with the first phase of work expected to be completed by Christmas. This will see the barrier built to its full 175m length at a minimum of 2.2m in height, with the remaining phases completed in early January building the barrier up to its full height of 6m.
Further wet weather is forecast over the weekend and teams will continue to carry out daily monitoring of the hillside to check for any changes in conditions in the area.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR is operating well as a local diversion route for all road users while the A83 remains closed as a safety precaution.
“Engineers are progressing with the construction of the temporary bund next to the OMR which will form a barrier and provide additional protection to the route, with the first phase expected to be completed next week. Remaining work to build the bund up to its full 6m height will continue over the festive period with teams expecting to have this completed by early January.
“With further wet weather forecast this weekend we’ll continue to keep the OMR under close review with teams carefully monitoring the hillside for any changes in conditions.
“As ever we thank all road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Tuesday 15 December – 1.45PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD REMAINS IN USE FOR ROAD USERS
• Heavy rain forecast later this week with teams carrying out daily review of conditions
• Teams continue with construction of mitigation measures on the OMR and A83
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful remains in use for all road users with traffic being safely convoyed through Glen Croe while the A83 remains closed.
Wet weather is forecast in the area later this week and teams are closely monitoring conditions on the hillside on a daily basis with the OMR kept under close review.
Engineers are continuing with construction of mitigation measures next to the OMR including a temporary bund which will act as a barrier across the channel formed by the landslips in August and September. Work also continues on the hillside above the A83 to install a debris catch-fence and further catch-pits to help provide further protection to the route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “After reviewing the weather forecast today and overnight tonight we’ll continue to keep the OMR in operation as an alternative route through Glen Croe while the A83 remains closed.
“Wet weather is forecast to move in later this week so we’ll continue to closely monitor conditions in the area and any changes on the hillside on a daily basis, keeping the operation of the OMR under close review.
“Engineers are continuing to work 24/7 on the programme of mitigation measures in the area, which will add further protection to both the OMR and A83.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time information is available from www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 14 December – 2.45PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN OPEN OVERNIGHT
• Local diversion route reopened around 8.45am Monday morning following safety inspection
• Construction work continues on OMR temporary bund
• Hillside mitigation measures continue to be installed on hillside above A83 following landslides in August and September
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to remain open overnight tonight (Monday) for all road users, with traffic being convoyed through Glen Croe.
The route which was closed as a safety precaution yesterday at 5pm due to heavy rain in the area, and reopened at around 8.45am following a safety inspection this morning.
The OMR will remain in operation overnight with teams closely monitoring weather conditions in the area. Heavy rain is forecast later this week and teams will carry out daily inspections of the hillside and continue monitoring weather conditions in the area.
Engineers are continuing to work 24/7 to install a programme of mitigation measures for both the Old Military Road and A83, which will provide additional landslip protection in the area.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The Old Military Road will remain open overnight tonight with our teams carefully monitoring the hillside and weather conditions in the area.
“With wet weather forecast later this week we’ll continue to observe conditions on a daily basis and keep the OMR under close review.
“Teams continue with work 24/7 to build a temporary bund across the OMR which will provide further resilience to the route once complete, as well as develop further mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83.
“As ever, we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to complete the ongoing work at the Rest.”
Real-time information is available from www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 14 December, 8.45am
OLD MILITARY ROAD REOPEN FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
Old Military Road local diversion route has reopened following a safety inspection this morning. A further update will follow later today.
Saturday 12 December – 11.25AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD AT THE REST AND BE THANKFUL TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT FROM 5PM ON SUNDAY EVENING AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FORECAST
Route will remain open over majority of weekend before closing at 5pm on Sunday in response to heavy rainfall forecast.
All traffic to be diverted from 5pm Sunday between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 and A819.
Safety inspection to take place at first light on Monday to inform OMR re-opening decision.
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful will close overnight from 5pm on Sunday 13 December as a safety precaution, and in response to the heavy rain forecast in the area from afternoon onwards.
All traffic will be diverted from 5pm Sunday, using the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819.
A safety assessment will take place at first light on Monday to consider re-opening the road.
The OMR will remain in operation throughout Saturday and overnight into Sunday, with continuing assessments being conducted over the course of Sunday to manage the safe operation of the route during daylight hours.
Engineers continue to work on a new temporary bund which will be built next to the OMR to act as a barrier across the foot of vulnerable channel above the route, adding further protection to the local diversion. Teams are working 24/7 to complete the programme of mitigation work on the OMR and on the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The weather front expected on Sunday, which will see an intense amount of rainfall in a short period, provides the first big test for the hillside since the significant movements witnessed a few weeks ago. We have therefore taken the decision, with Transport Scotland, to close the OMR overnight from 5pm on Sunday as a safety precaution.
“All traffic will be diverted from 5pm on Sunday via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray.
“Teams will carry out a safety inspection from first light on Monday morning to inform the decision to re-open the OMR to traffic.
“We understand the frustration that this causes, however it is essential that we continue to implement a safety-first approach and do everything we can to keep road users safe.
“Engineers are continuing to construct the new bund adjacent to the OMR that will enhance its resilience for use by road traffic and this is being constructed in tandem with ongoing mitigation works on the hillside above the A83.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time information is available from www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 11 December – 12.10PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN OPEN OVERNIGHT
Teams continue to monitor hillside and mitigation work continues
Heavy rain forecast on Sunday
The Old Military Road local diversion route through Glen Croe at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful will remain open to road users overnight tonight (Friday) and throughout Saturday.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 will remain under close review throughout the weekend as heavy rain is forecast to move in on Sunday.
Teams will continue to monitor weather conditions in the area and observe the hillside conditions for any changes.
Engineers are continuing work to install landslip mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83 and next to the OMR with teams continuing to work 24/7.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR is currently in use for all road users and is operating well as a local diversion through Glen Croe.
“The local diversion route will remain open overnight and throughout Saturday however we’ll be keeping the OMR under close review as weather deteriorates.
“Heavy rain is forecast for Sunday evening and we’ll look to make a decision on any OMR restrictions on Saturday.
“Teams continue with work to install mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83 and next to the OMR, with engineers working 24/7 to complete the work.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to safely manage the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
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 8 December – 2.15PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT 8PM TO 5AM FOR ESSENTIAL RESURFACING WORK
• All traffic to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 and A819 from 8pm-5am
• Work continues on construction of bund to provide extra protection for OMR
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route will close overnight tonight from 8pm until 5am to allow teams to carry out essential surfacing work on the road.
All traffic will be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819 from 8pm overnight to allow teams to safely complete the surfacing repairs on the OMR.
The overnight closure of the route will allow teams to carry out essential repairs to sections of the OMR from the north end of the route to the top Rest and Be Thankful car park. These repairs will treat deteriorated sections of the OMR, ensuring the route provides a safer and smoother journey for road users.
The OMR will reopen from 5am Wednesday morning with traffic being safely convoyed through Glen Croe.
Construction continues on the temporary bund which will provide additional protection to the OMR once complete. Teams are working 24/7 on the barrier with work expected to be completed by Christmas.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Tonight’s planned closure of the Old Military Road will allow our teams to safely complete essential surfacing repairs to sections of the route, ensuring it remains safe for road users.
“We’ve planned this essential work to take place overnight tonight when traffic volumes on the OMR are much lower, and we’ll use this time to safely complete as much work as we can to the OMR to ensure it remains in a safe working condition.
“As ever we thank the local community and all road users for their patience and assure them we’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
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 4 December – 2.30PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD REMAINS IN USE FOR ALL ROAD USERS
• Construction work begins on OMR temporary bund
• Overnight closure of OMR required on Tuesday night, 8pm-5am, to allow for essential resurfacing of route
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route remains open for all road users with traffic being convoyed through Glen Croe.
The single-track OMR, which runs parallel to the A83, will remain open 24 hours a day with teams on site rigorously monitoring the hillside and weather conditions in the area to note any changes and ensure motorists are kept safe. The OMR will be kept under close review throughout the weekend.
Construction is underway on a new temporary bund which will be built next to the OMR to act as a barrier across the foot of vulnerable channel above the route, adding further protection to the local diversion. Teams are working 24/7 to complete the programme of mitigation work on the OMR and on the A83.
Essential surfacing work is scheduled to take place at the north end of the Old Military Road, near its junction with A83, overnight on Tuesday 8 December from 8pm to 5am, which will allow teams to carry out essential repairs to the road surface ensuring it continues to function safely for motorists. The OMR will close overnight on Tuesday during working hours with all traffic diverted via the A82, A85 and A819 to allow teams to safely complete the surfacing work.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said:
“The Old Military Road is operating well as a local diversion route, with traffic being convoyed through the area. We’ll keep the route open 24-hours a day as long as weather conditions allow, with teams closely monitoring of the weather conditions and observing the hillside to note for any changes.
“However, on Tuesday night next week we’ll be carrying out essential surfacing repairs to the OMR to ensure its continued safe operation over the festive period. These repairs will treat deteriorated sections of the OMR and up through the Rest and Be Thankful carpark, ensuring the route provides a safer and smoother journey for road users. We’ve planned this essential work to take place overnight when traffic volumes on the OMR are much lower, and we’ll use this time to safely complete as much work as we can to the OMR to ensure it remains in a safe working condition.
“As ever we thank the local community and all road users for their patience and assure them we’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
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 3 December – 10AM
NEW TEMPORARY BUND TO BE BUILT NEXT TO OLD MILITARY ROAD TO HELP PROVIDE EXTRA PROTECTION TO ROUTE
• Construction to begin immediately on roadside bund to provide extra resilience to OMR
• Study continues to consider viability of forestry road track as alternative route
Construction of a new temporary bund along a section of the Old Military Road (OMR) is to begin immediately to help increase protection on the route which acts as a local diversion to the A83 Rest and Be Thankful..
The announcement was made today by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson, at a meeting with stakeholders in the region.
The 175m long, 6m high bund will be positioned next to the OMR at the foot of the vulnerable channel formed by landslips in August and September. The barrier will be formed using a modular system favoured by the military and will be largely backfilled with material from previous landslides.
Once in place, the bund will provide additional resilience to the local diversion, enabling further use during adverse weather. Construction of the barrier is expected to be complete by Christmas.
Cabinet Secretary Michael Matheson said:
“I was delighted to have the opportunity today to discuss with local stakeholders and businesses our continuing work in delivering landslide mitigation measures at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful and the Old Military Road local diversion.
At this meeting, I announced that I have instructed our contractors to commence construction of a new 175 metre debris bund above the Old Military Road, with the aim of completing works before Christmas, weather permitting. This will provide greater resilience to the local diversion, helping to ensure continuity of access to the region.”
A design team is also continuing to assess the viability of the forestry track as an alternative route through Glen Croe, with further information expected to be available next week.
The Old Military Road remains in use as a local diversion route for road users through Glen Croe with teams closely reviewing the weather forecast and conditions on the hillside on a daily basis.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said:
“The Old Military Road is operating well as a local diversion and after thorough assessments of the hillside we’re keeping the route operational 24 hours a day as long as weather conditions allow.
“Installation of this new bund will give us the opportunity to use the local diversion route with greater confidence once it is complete later this month.
“As ever we’re continuing to put road user safety first. We thank the local community and all road users for their patience and assure them we’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 2 December – 2.30PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN OPEN OVERNIGHT
The Old Military Road local diversion route through Glen Croe at the Rest and Be Thankful will remain open to road users overnight tonight (Wednesday).
Teams have been continuously monitoring and assessing the hillside since debris was observed moving on the hillside last week following several days of heavy rain. A period of drier weather has allowed geotechnical teams to carefully assess and inspect the material, with the rate of movement observed to have settled down.
A yellow Met Office warning is in force for ice and snow from 6pm this evening until 12 noon tomorrow, with a dedicated spreader being assigned to the area to make sure the OMR is kept clear for road users overnight. Rigorous monitoring of the hillside will also continue overnight to ensure road users are kept safe.
Mitigation work continues on the A83 and the steep channel above the roadside with teams continuing to work 24/7.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “After carrying out rigorous safety inspections of the hillside we’re content with keeping the OMR open as a local diversion route for road users overnight tonight (Wednesday).
“We’ll keep the route under close review and will have teams carefully monitoring the hillside to note for any change in conditions.
“Tonight there is a potential for some snowfall in the area so we’ll also have a dedicated spreader on standby to complete treatments as necessary ensuring the OMR remains safe and motorists can continue to safely access the local diversion.
“For now the A83 remains closed and our focus remains on the deployment of suitable mitigation measures in response to conditions on the hillside.
“As ever we’re continuing to put road user safety first. We thank the local community and all road users for their patience and assure them we’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, tiwtter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 2 December – 8.40AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD REOPENS FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful has reopened following a safety inspection this morning. A further update will follow later today.
Tuesday 1 December – 11.30AM
LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE AT 3.30PM
• Route reopened around 9.30am following safety inspections
• OMR to close at 3.30pm as safety precaution with all traffic to be diverted via A82, A85 and A819 overnight
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful has reopened following a safety inspection this morning.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will close again from 3.30pm this afternoon as a safety precaution with all traffic being diverted via the A82, A85 and A819 between Tarbet and Inveraray.
Teams will continue to closely monitor and observe the hillside throughout the day, with enhanced safety procedures in place to ensure road users are kept safe whilst the OMR is in use.
A band of rain is forecast overnight tonight and a safety inspection will take place tomorrow morning to consider if it is safe to reopen the OMR during daytime on Wednesday, 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR reopened this morning following a safety inspection and teams are continuing to closely monitor the area.
“We’ll be keeping the operation of the OMR under close review throughout the day.
“We’re continuing to put road user safety first and will close the OMR during the hours of darkness from 3.30pm today with all traffic being diverted via the A82, A85 and A819 as a safety precaution.
“We’ll continue to assess conditions on the hill and the forecast weather to inform our decisions for re-opening of the road each day.
“As ever, we thank the local community, businesses and road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Monday 30 November – 12.00PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION REOPENS UNTIL 3.30PM
• Route reopened just after 9.30am following safety inspections
• OMR to close at 3.30pm as safety precaution with all traffic to be diverted via A82, A85 and A819 overnight
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful has reopened following a safety inspection this morning.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will close again from 3.30pm this afternoon as a safety precaution with all traffic being diverted via the A82, A85 and A819 between Tarbet and Inveraray.
Teams will continue to closely monitor and observe the hillside throughout the day, with enhanced safety procedures in place to ensure road users are kept safe whilst the OMR is in use. Rain is forecast in the area throughout the morning and teams will be keeping the route under close review should conditions start to deteriorate.
Following its closure overnight, a safety inspection will take place tomorrow morning to consider if it is safe to reopen the OMR during daytime on Tuesday, 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR reopened this morning following a safety inspection and teams are continuing to closely monitor the area.
“A band of rain is moving through the Rest this morning and we’ll be keeping the operation of the OMR under close review should conditions in the area start to deteriorate.
“We’re continuing to put road user safety first and will close the OMR during the hours of darkness from 3.30pm today with all traffic being diverted via the A82, A85 and A819 as a safety precaution.
“We’ll continue to assess conditions on the hill and the forecast weather to inform our decisions for re-opening of the road each day.
“As ever, we thank the local community, businesses and road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Sunday 29 November – 09:10AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION TO OPEN UNTIL 3.30PM
Route reopened just after 9am following safety inspections
OMR to close at 3.30pm as safety precaution with all traffic to be diverted via A82, A85 and A819 overnight
The Old Military Road local diversion route has reopened following a safety inspection this morning.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will close again from 3.30pm this afternoon as a safety precaution with all traffic being diverted via the A82, A85 and A819 between Tarbet and Inveraray.
Teams will continue to closely monitor and observe the hillside throughout the day, with enhanced safety procedures in place to ensure road users are kept safe whilst the OMR is in use.
Following its closure overnight, a safety inspection will take place tomorrow morning to consider if it is safe to reopen the OMR during daytime on Monday, 9.30am to 3.30pm. However, there is expected to be rain overnight and through tomorrow morning so re-opening times may vary.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Following further dry weather, the OMR re-opened this morning following the completion of a safety inspection and our teams will continue to closely monitor the hillside and road operation throughout the day.
“We need to prioritise road user safety and the OMR will close during the hours of darkness from 3.30pm as a safety precaution.
“We’ll continue to assess conditions on the hill and the forecast weather to inform our decisions for re-opening of the road each day. Tomorrow morning (Monday) we will be paying close attention to the impact the rain overnight has had on the previous areas of movement on the hillside.
“As ever, we thank the local community, businesses and road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Saturday 28 November – 9.30AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION TO OPEN UNTIL 3.30PM
Route reopened around 9.30am following safety inspection
OMR to close at 3.30pm as safety precaution with all traffic to be diverted via A82, A85 and A819 overnight
The Old Military Road local diversion route has reopened following a safety inspection this morning.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will close again from 3.30pm this afternoon as a safety precaution with all traffic being diverted via the A82, A85 and A819 between Tarbet and Inveraray.
Teams will continue to closely monitor and observe the hillside throughout the day, with enhanced safety procedures in place to ensure road users are kept safe whilst the OMR is in use.
Following its closure overnight, a safety inspection will take place tomorrow morning to consider if it is safe to reopen the OMR during daytime on Sunday, 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR reopened this morning following the completion of a safety inspection and our teams will continue to closely monitor the hillside and road operation throughout the day.
“We need to prioritise road user safety and the OMR will close during the hours of darkness from 3.30pm as a safety precaution.
“We’ll continue to assess conditions on the hill and the forecast weather to inform our decisions for re-opening of the road each day.
“As ever we thank the local community, businesses and road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
ENDS
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Friday 27 November – 12.20PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION REOPENS FOLLOWING THOROUGH SAFETY INSPECTION
• Route to close at 3.30pm as safety precaution with all traffic to be diverted via A82, A85 and A819 overnight
• Enhanced monitoring procedures in place on hillside
• Early morning inspections to take place on Saturday and Sunday morning to consider reopening route during daytime, 9.30am-3.30pm, over weekend.
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll reopened at around 9.30am following a safety inspection of the hillside above and below the A83 this morning.
The route will remain open during daylight hours until 3.30pm when it will close as a safety precaution throughout the hours of darkness. All traffic will be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819.
Geotechnical teams have carried out a thorough assessment of the hillside following the debris movements observed on the hillside earlier this week. The debris has now drained slightly following a period of dry weather, and has enabled limited use of the OMR with enhanced controls in place.
The OMR, a single-track route which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, is now being operated in daylight hours with hillside spotters and sentries stationed at key points on the hill and at the roadside, such that conditions can be continuously monitored and communicated should any changes be observed.
With more favourable weather forecast for the weekend, an inspection will take place on Saturday and Sunday morning to determine if the OMR can reopen from around 9.30am.
The A83 remains closed as a safety precaution, with teams seeking to progress the programme of further mitigation work on the hillside.
In addition, alternative options that may improve the resilience of road operation through Glen Croe are also being considered at this time, with enhanced mitigation on the OMR and the viability of the Glen Croe forest track presently under review.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve carried out a thorough safety inspection of the hillside this morning following several days of dry weather, which has allowed us to safely reopen the OMR this morning from around 9.30am.
“The route will open during the day with traffic being convoyed through the glen during daylight hours, closing again from 3.30pm this afternoon as a safety precaution.
“We’re constantly monitoring the hillside and have additional teams observing the slope to note any changes to ensure safety continues to be put first.
“We are currently dealing with a situation which is unprecedented over recent years. Whilst our mitigation measures have been successful to an extent, the scale of landslides and, most recently, the movements on the hillside are such that the resilience of the Old Military Road is now a major challenge and has led to a series of closures. To tackle this, as well as the enhanced hillside monitoring, we have been asked by Transport Scotland to look at how the resilience of a local diversion through Glen Croe can be improved including investigating the forestry track on the opposite side of the valley and, in the short terms, measures adjacent to the OMR.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficsotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 26 November – 4.30PM
SAFETY INSPECTION TO TAKE PLACE TOMORROW MORNING TO CONSIDER REOPENING OLD MILITARY ROAD FOR DAYTIME HOURS ONLY, 9.30AM-3.30PM, FOLLOWING PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER
• Thorough safety inspection required from first light to consider if safe to reopen local diversion route during daylight hours on Friday
• Route to remain closed overnight tonight (Thursday) with all traffic being diverted via A82, A85 & A819
A thorough safety inspection of the hillside above the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful is set to take place on Friday morning to consider if it is safe to reopen the Old Military Road local diversion route from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
A period of dry weather has allowed debris which has been observed to be moving on the hillside to drain slightly and allow a closer inspection of the slope by geotechnical specialists.
Teams have been carefully monitoring the debris using CCTV cameras and timelapse footage across the hillside throughout the week to note any changes in conditions or detect any movement.
Additional monitoring including hillside spotters and sentries will be used should the Old Military Road, a single track route which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, be given the go-ahead to reopen during the daylight tomorrow.
The OMR and A83 currently remain closed with all traffic being diverted to the standard diversion between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland has teams patrolling across the diversion route 24 hours a day to help with any issues and keep traffic flowing.
Ferries are also available between Dunoon and Gourock as an alternative route to the standard diversion.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been carefully monitoring the movements noted earlier in the week on the hillside above the A83. The recent few days of dry weather has allowed that movement to reduce.
“Tomorrow morning we intend on thoroughly inspecting the hillside and, providing we’re content it is safe, we hope to open the OMR during daylight hours from around 9.30am to 3.30pm under tight control.
“We will only reopen the OMR if we are absolutely certain it is safe to do so following the inspection tomorrow morning.
“In the meantime the A83 and OMR remains closed with all traffic being diverted between Inveraray and Tarbet. We understand the frustration this causes and that these potential opening hours are not ideal. We can hopefully take advantage of a relatively dry period to allow the operation of the OMR during daylight hours, and there after we will need to consider the potential impacts of further rain next week.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficsotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
• View a clip of CCTV footage from the hillside showing gradual movement of material in steep channel above A83 from recent days here.
Wednesday 25 November – 5.15PM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL AND OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH THURSDAY AS TEAMS MONTIOR HILLSIDE FOLLOWING DEBRIS MOVEMENT
All traffic continues to be diverted via A82, A85 and A819 as a safety precaution
The A83 and Old Military Road at the Rest and Be Thankful are to remain closed throughout Thursday as a safety precaution with material continuing to move down the hillside slopes above the A83.
Although no material has reached the A83, teams are continuing to assess and inspect the debris on the hillside using CCTV and timelapse monitoring given the significance of the movement being experienced. The make-up of the observed debris includes soil, cobbles and large boulders.
With a period of dry weather forecast over the coming days, teams are preparing to undertake more detailed inspections as water saturation levels on the hillside reduce.
In the meantime, the OMR and A83 will remain closed overnight tonight (Wednesday) and throughout Thursday on safety grounds due to the ongoing movement being experienced.
All traffic will continue to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland has teams patrolling across the diversion route 24 hours a day to help with any issues and keep traffic flowing.
Ferries are also available between Dunoon and Gourock as an alternative route to the standard diversion.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We continue to observe the hillside and remain concerned over the movement observed on the slope above the A83.
“For safety reasons we’re keeping the A83 and OMR closed at this time. With a few days of dry weather approaching we’re hoping that this will help stabilise the material.
“We understand the frustration and concerns of local communities and business at this difficult time but we must continue to put road user safety first and we thank all motorists and the local community for their continued patience.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficsotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Tuesday 24 November – 3.15PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN CLOSED OVERNIGHT AND THROUGHOUT WEDNESDAY AS SAFETY PRECAUTION DUE TO STEADY MOVEMENT OF DEBRIS OBSERVED ON HILLSIDE ABOVE A83
• Debris has been observed to be slowly advancing down steep channel above A83 over several days
• No material has reached A83 however is building on slope
• All traffic being diverted between A82, A85 & A819 as a safety
The Old Military Road will remain closed overnight and throughout Wednesday as a safety precaution as a large area of material has been observed to be slowly advancing in the steep channel above the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful following a long period of heavy rain.
The material, which consists of soil, mud and large boulders, has been gradually moving down the steep slope with teams monitoring its progress using CCTV stations across the hillside as well as markers to observe any changes in position.
In recent days the movement of material has accelerated even during drier spells and there is concerns that further heavy rain could cause a sudden failure.
While minor movements on the hillside are frequently observed by geotechnical teams monitoring the Rest and Be Thankful, the scale of the material and gradual steady advancement of the debris in an area of deep soil is causing concern.
For safety, the OMR and A83 will remain closed overnight tonight (Tuesday) and throughout Wednesday while teams continue to monitor and observe the raft of material on the hillside.
All traffic will continue to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland have teams patrolling across the diversion route 24 hours a day to help with any issues and keep traffic flowing.
Ferries are also available between Dunoon and Gourock as an alternative route to the standard diversion.
Engineers have paused operations directly beneath the steep channel for safety, however are progressing with mitigation work elsewhere on the A83 when safe to do so.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Teams have been actively monitoring the hillside since August and in recent days have noticed a particular area which has been advancing down the steep channel formed during the major landslips in August and September.
“While no significant volume of material has reached the A83 yet we’re concerned that due to the saturated hillside and on-going movement a sudden landslide of unprecedented scale could occur.
“As a safety precaution the OMR and A83 will remain closed overnight tonight and throughout Wednesday while we monitor the material as it moves down the steep channel. Our teams will continue to patrol the route and assist with any issues to ensure traffic is kept moving.
“We very much appreciate the impacts being felt by local communities and business as a result of the ongoing situation on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful. We are doing all we can to provide the public with the most up to date information and are doing what we believe is necessary to protect road users.
“We’ll continue to put safety first and do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficsotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Monday 23 November – 10.20AM
FURTHER HILLSIDE MOVEMENTS OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MORNING MEAN OLD MILITARY ROAD WILL REMAIN CLOSED ALL DAY MONDAY AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION
• All traffic continues to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 & A819
• Teams continue to monitor and assess hillside at Rest and Be Thankful
• Further heavy rainfall expected from late morning Monday until Tuesday evening
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll will remain closed throughout Monday after geotechnical engineers on site have identified further movement of material on the hillside above the A83.
Early evening on Sunday geotechnical engineers identified an acceleration of movements on the hill in and adjacent to scars from previous events in August and September prompting safety concerns for the use of the Old Military Road.
Monitoring equipment and cameras have shown this to have continued overnight and this was confirmed by the first light safety inspection. The rain forecast for later this morning is also likely to increase concerns.
Further heavy rainfall is expected to continue until Tuesday evening.
Proactive monitoring oh the hillside is to continue with safety of road users and operatives being first priority.
As a safety precaution all road users will continue to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819 throughout Monday and overnight. With wet weather set to continue to Wednesday decisions will be made on a daily basis.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve made the decision to keep the Old Military Road closed as a safety precaution throughout Monday due to our geotechnical engineer observing steady movements of debris in the steep channels above the A83 last night, overnight and this morning.
“While the movement is gradual our geotechnical team have raised concerns that the debris movements could further accelerate, which has prompted us to act on a safety first approach and keep the OMR closed.
“With further heavy rain forecast in the next few days we’ll be continually observing the slope and gathering data from the hillside monitoring equipment to determine the scale of the movements.
“We understand the frustration and inconvenience the closure of the OMR causes for road users however their safety remains our top priority.
“As ever, we thank the local community and motorists for their patience during this unprecedented situation.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Sunday 22 November – 6:30PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD CLOSED OVERNIGHT FROM 6PM AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION DUE TO MOVEMENTS ON HILLSIDE
• All traffic diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray overnight via A82, A85 & A819
• Safety assessment to take place at first light tomorrow (Monday) to consider reopening of OMR
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll has closed overnight as a safety precaution following concerns from geotechnical engineers early this evening.
The OMR re-opened at approximately 8.00am this morning following periods of heavy rainfall overnight and was intended to be kept open tonight due to relatively favourable forecast and hillside conditions.
However, at 5:30pm geotechnical engineers started to witness movements on the lower hillside which gave them concerns for the operation of the OMR overnight.
All traffic has been diverted between Tarbet & Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland teams will be patrolling the diversion route overnight to assist with any issues and help keep traffic moving.
A safety inspection will take place at first light tomorrow (Monday) to determine if it is safe to reopen the OMR during the daytime.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Throughout today, the OMR has been in operation whilst work progressed with landslide mitigation works.
“Initially, the intention was for the OMR to remain open overnight, however, due to concerning movements in the section of the hillside just above the A83 early this evening, a decision was taken to close for the night.
“All traffic was diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray.
“Teams will carry out a safety inspection at first light on Monday morning to assess if we can safely reopen the OMR.
“Road user safety is a top priority, but we do understand the frustration and inconvenience these closures are causing, particularly when they are instigated at short notice.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Saturday 21 November – 1.45PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT FROM 6PM AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION DUE TO SATURATION ON HILLSIDE, STRONG WINDS AND FURTHER FORECAST RAIN
• All traffic to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray overnight from 6pm via A82, A85 & A819
• Safety assessment to take place at first light tomorrow (Sunday) to consider reopening of OMR
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll will close overnight from 6pm as a safety precaution following an inspection of the hillside and in response to the wind and rain that is forecast to continue into Sunday morning.
The OMR re-opened at approximately 8.30am this morning following periods of heavy rainfall overnight. However, and as a result of a series of inspections this morning, the local diversion route will close this evening due to concerns over the level of water saturation present on the scarred hillside.
All traffic will be diverted between Tarbet & Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland teams will be patrolling the diversion route overnight to assist with any issues and help keep traffic moving.
A safety inspection will take place at first light tomorrow (Sunday) to determine if it is safe to reopen the OMR during the daytime.
Teams remain onsite progressing with a programme of landslip mitigation work at the Rest and Be Thankful. The A83 remains closed as a safety precaution.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Throughout today, the OMR has been in operation with additional sentries deployed to support our monitoring of the hillside.
“Inspections on the slopes above the A83 have also taken place, and with high water saturation reported on the hill and with wind and heavy rain showers anticipated, we’ve taken the decision along with Transport Scotland to close the OMR from 6pm tonight as a safety precaution.
“All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray from 6pm overnight.
“Teams will carry out a safety inspection at first light on Sunday morning to assess if we can safely reopen the OMR.
“Road user safety is a top priority, and we understand the frustration these closures are causing. However, we need to ensure that we do everything we can to ensure motorists are protected.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do all we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Saturday 21 November – 8.40AM
SAFETY INSPECTION AT FIRST LIGHT ALLOWS OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REOPEN
• Old Military Road reopened at approximately 8.30am this morning following high winds and periods of heavy rain experienced overnight
• Monitoring of hillside conditions will continue throughout the day
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful has reopened following a safety inspection at first light.
All traffic is now being convoyed on the single-track route which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe. The route has reopened following the high winds and heavy rainfall experienced overnight.
Conditions in the area remain under close review.
Teams will continue to undertake inspections on the hillside throughout the day to assess the slopes above and below the A83 so to determine any changes in condition from the recent weather experienced.
The outcomes of these inspections inform decisions on road operation and a further update will be issued later today to confirm arrangements for Saturday night.
Engineers continue to do their best, in challenging conditions, to progress mitigation works on the hillside above the A83, which currently remains closed on the grounds of safety.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR reopened around 8.30am this morning following a safety inspection by our team on site.
“We’re now carrying out a close inspection of the hillside above and below the A83 to assess saturation levels and the general condition of the slope. This will provide us with an indication as to whether it is safe for us to keep the OMR open overnight, and we’ll provide a further update later today.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to safely manage the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 20 November – 4:15PM
FORECAST HEAVY RAIN MEANS OLD MILITARY ROAD WILL CLOSE FROM 6PM OVERNIGHT AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION
• All traffic to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray overnight from 6pm via A82, A85 & A819
• Safety assessment to take place at first light tomorrow (Saturday) to consider reopening
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful is to close overnight from 6pm as a safety precaution due to heavy rain forecast this evening and saturation levels on the hillside.
Assessments of the slope have indicated that the hillside is highly saturated following the heavy rainfall experience earlier in the week, and with further rainfall expected overnight into Saturday, the decision has been taken to close the road as a safety precaution.
From 6pm all traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland teams will be patrolling the diversion route overnight to assist with any issues and help keep traffic moving.
A safety inspection will take place at first light tomorrow (Saturday) to determine if safe to reopen the OMR.
Engineers also doing their best in challenging conditions to progress mitigation works on the hillside above the A83, which remains closed on the grounds of safety at this time.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been assessing the hillside and water saturation levels above the A83 ahead of the forecast heavy rain expected tonight, and we’ve taken the decision along with Transport Scotland to close the OMR from 6pm tonight as a safety precaution.
“All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray from 6pm overnight.
“Teams will carry out a safety inspection at first light tomorrow morning to assess if we can safely reopen the OMR.
“We understand the frustration these closures are causing but we need to put road user safety first at all times.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do all we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow via Inveraray, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Thursday 19 November – 2.45PM
LOCAL DIVERSION OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN OPEN OVERNIGHT
• OMR to remain under close review throughout Friday
• Heavy rain forecast Friday and Saturday
• Work to install landslip mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83 continues
The local diversion Old Military Road at the Rest and Be Thankful will remain open overnight tonight following an assessment of the hillside.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will remain under close review throughout Friday as heavy rain is forecast to move in throughout the day.
Teams will remain onsite to monitor weather conditions in the area and observe the hillside for any changes.
Engineers are continuing work to install landslip mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR is currently in use for all road users and is operating well as a local diversion through Glen Croe.
“The route will remain open overnight tonight and throughout the day tomorrow however we’ll be keeping the OMR under close review.
“More rain is forecast for tomorrow and Saturday and we’ll be closely monitoring conditions in the area as well as the hillside to note any changes.
“Teams continue with work to install landslip mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83, with engineers working 24/7 to complete the work.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to safely manage the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 19 November – 9.20AM
OLD MILITARY ROAD REOPENS FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION AT FIRST LIGHT
• Further assessments to take place throughout day to assess condition of hillside above A83
• Heavy rain forecast on Friday and Saturday
• Engineers progressing with work to install landslip mitigation measures on site
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll reopened at around 7.50am this morning following a safety inspection at first light.
The OMR, a single track road which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, was closed as a safety precaution on Monday evening ahead of a period of heavy rain associated with the yellow Met Office weather warning issued for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Geotechnical teams are now utilising the better weather to carry out a more detailed inspection of the hillside to determine its condition ahead of the further wet weather forecast for Friday and Saturday. A further update will be provided later today.
Engineers also doing their best with challenging underfoot conditions to progress mitigation works on the hillside above the A83, which remains closed due to the level of water saturation on the hill and multiple landslips in recent months.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The Old Military Road reopened this morning following a safety inspection by our geotechnical teams at first light.
“We’re carrying out a review of the hillside above and below the A83 following several days of heavy rain in the area to determine the condition of the ground and assess saturation levels. This will provide us with an indication as to whether it is safe for us to keep the OMR open overnight and will inform decision making for road operation in the coming days, particularly as further wet weather is forecast, with a further update provided later today.
“Teams continue to work hard to install landslip mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83 in difficult conditions.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to safely manage the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 19 November – 7.50am
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE NOW OPEN FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
Teams remain on site carrying out programme of repairs to debris fences & installing further mitigation measures.
Further update to follow.
Wednesday 18 November – 4.10PM
HEAVY RAIN MEANS OLD MILITARY ROAD WILL REMAIN CLOSED OVERNIGHT AS SAFETY PRECAUTION
• All traffic being diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 & A819
• Safety inspection to take place at first light Thursday morning to consider reopening OMR
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll remains closed overnight tonight (Wednesday) as a safety precaution due to continued heavy rain.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, has been closed since Monday evening due to heavy rain with all traffic being diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 and A819.
A safety inspection will take place at first light tomorrow to assess the hillside ahead of a potential reopening of the OMR tomorrow morning.
Teams have been continually monitoring the hillside above the A83 throughout the weather front.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Heavy rain continues to impact the Rest today with further rain forecast overnight. As a result, we’ll keep the OMR closed overnight as a safety precaution due to the saturation levels on the hillside and the further wet weather overnight.
“Tomorrow sees more settled conditions and we will carry out a safety inspection at first light tomorrow to consider if safe to reopen the OMR.
“After this a full hillside review will then be undertaken on Thursday and indication will be given then with regards to the position for the remainder of the week.
“As ever, we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Tuesday 17 November – 3.10PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD AT REST AND BE THANKFUL REMAINS CLOSED OVERNIGHT AND THROUGHOUT WEDNESDAY DUE TO HEAVY RAIN
• All traffic being diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 & A819
• Yellow Met Office warning for heavy rain in force until Wednesday at 3pm
• Daily assessments to take place to consider if safe to reopen local diversion route
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful will remain closed overnight tonight (Tuesday) and throughout Wednesday as a safety precaution due to continued heavy rain in the area.
The route was closed yesterday evening and has remained closed all day today (Tuesday) due to a weather front bringing heavy rain moving through the north west of Scotland. A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain is in place until Wednesday afternoon at 3pm.
All traffic is being diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR teams are patrolling the route to check for any issues and help ensure traffic is kept moving.
Geotechnical teams remain onsite assessing the condition of the hillside however with continued wet weather and saturation levels of the slope the OMR is expected to remain closed until Thursday morning.
Despite the weather conditions, engineers continue to progress the implementation of new landslide mitigation measures on the hill, including construction of an in-channel debris barrier.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Heavy rain has been falling in the area since this morning with further rain forecast overnight and throughout the day tomorrow.
“We need to ensure road user safety is upheld at all times, and with the wet weather continuing along with the saturated hillside we’ve taken the decision to keep the OMR closed as a safety precaution overnight and throughout Wednesday. All traffic will continue to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819.
“Our teams have been patrolling the diversion route to check for any issues and ensure that traffic is kept flowing on the route, and will continue to do so until the route is stood down.
“We’ll be continually monitoring conditions in the area and the hillside throughout the weather front, with the OMR likely to remain closed until Thursday morning.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Monday 16 November – 3.20PM
FORECAST HEAVY RAIN MEANS OLD MILITARY ROAD WILL REMAIN CLOSED FROM 6PM TONIGHT AND ALL THROUGH TUESDAY AS SAFETY PRECAUTION
• Yellow Met Office warning for heavy rain issued from midnight tonight until 3pm Wednesday
• All traffic to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 & A819
• Daily assessments to take place to consider if safe to reopen local diversion route
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful is to close overnight from 6pm and will remain closed throughout Tuesday as a safety precaution due to heavy rain moving in.
A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued across the west coast of Scotland from midnight tonight until 3pm on Wednesday, with between 75mm and 100mm of rain forecast to fall at the Rest and Be Thankful during this period.
The OMR, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will close from 6pm this evening due to saturation on the hillside, combined with this further storm event.
From 6pm all traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819. BEAR Scotland teams will be patrolling the diversion route overnight and throughout Tuesday to assist with any issues and help keep traffic moving.
Daily assessments will take place at the Rest and Be Thankful to determine if the route can reopen however with the wet weather forecast to continue until Wednesday evening, the OMR is expected to remain closed until Thursday morning.
Despite the weather conditions, engineers continue to progress the implementation of new landslide mitigation measures on the hill, including construction of an in-channel debris barrier. The repairs required to facilitate a reopening of the A83, which included the reinstatement of pre-existing landslide catch fences following Storm Aidan have now been completed, however with high water saturation present on the scarred hillside and the incoming wet weather, road user safety is being put first and the road will remain closed at this time.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been assessing the hillside and saturation levels above the A83 ahead of the forecast heavy rain throughout the day, and we’ve taken the decision along with Transport Scotland to close the OMR from 6pm tonight and all day tomorrow (Tuesday) as a safety precaution.
“All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray from 6pm overnight and throughout Tuesday.
“We’ll be continually monitoring conditions in the area and the hillside throughout the weather front. With the wet weather to continue until late on Wednesday evening it’s likely the route will remain closed until Thursday morning however we’ll continue to assess the route on a daily basis.
“We understand the frustration this causes however we need to put road user safety first at all times.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk.
• The standard diversion route from the closure points at Tarbet and Cairndow, outlined below, is normally detailed as being around 60 miles long. The actual additional journey length of the diversion depends on where people are coming from and travelling to. This varies from an additional 30 miles if travelling from Glasgow to South of Inveraray to an additional 60 miles if travelling from Glasgow to Lochgoilhead/Cowal area. Ferry options (detailed above) via Gourock to Dunoon offer a shorter alternative route to Lochgoilhead / Cowal area.
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Monday 16 November – 10.30am
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE THROUGH REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS HOWEVER FURTHER HEAVY RAIN FORECAST THIS EVENING
• Yellow Met Office warning for heavy rain issued for midnight tonight until 3pm Wednesday
• OMR to close as safety precaution from 6pm
• Closure of OMR likely to remain in place until Thursday morning
• All traffic to be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via A82, A85 & A819
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened this morning (Monday) at around 8.00am following a safety inspection by geotechnical teams at first light.
A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued across the west coast of Scotland from midnight tonight until 3pm on Wednesday. Between 75mm and 100mm of rain is forecast to fall in the area during the period.
The local diversion route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will remain in use for road users throughout today however it will close from 6pm this evening due to the saturation on the hillside and the further very heavy rain forecast.
Inspection teams remain on site and continue to assess conditions at the Rest following a weekend of heavy rain and with the anticipated weather forecast, it is possible that the OMR may remain closed until Thursday morning.
All traffic will be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819 when the OMR is closed.
During drier conditions today engineers will be progressing with a programme of landslip mitigation measures above the A83 including the reinstatement of the debris fences damaged on 31 October during Storm Aiden.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The OMR reopened this morning following a safety inspection at first light by our geotechnical team.
“Today we’re focusing on monitoring the scarred hillside at the Rest, which is an ongoing process that supports the safe operation of the OMR given the significant rainfall being experienced which has highly saturated the hillside.
“A weather front is moving in which is expected to bring consistently heavy rain for the next few days in the area, with the Met Office issuing a yellow warning from midnight tonight until 3pm on Wednesday.
“Road user safety is of paramount importance and we’ll make a final decision this afternoon with regards to the operation of the OMR in the coming days, after careful review of the forecast and information from our geotechnical team.
“Engineers remain on site progressing with a programme of landslip mitigation measures at the Rest. The work required to reopen the A83, which includes the reinstatement of debris fences damaged during Storm Aiden at the end of October, has progressed well despite the inclement weather. Reopening the route is however delayed due to the storm expected to impact the Rest and Be Thankful tonight through to Thursday.
“As ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to progress with the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland and the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 16 November – 8.15am
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE NOW OPEN FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
Teams remain on site carrying out programme of repairs to debris fences & installing further mitigation measures.
Further update to follow.
Sunday 15 November – 12.50pm
OLD MILITARY ROAD AT THE REST AND BE THANKFUL TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT FROM 6PM AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FORECAST AND SATURATED HILLSIDE
• All traffic diverted from 6pm between Tarbet to Inveraray via A82, A85 and A819
• Safety inspection to take place at first light on Monday to consider reopening OMR
• Met Office warnings in place for heavy rain all day Tuesday to 3pm on Wednesday
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful will close overnight from 6pm this evening as a safety precaution following further heavy rainfall in the area and the saturation levels on the hillside.
All traffic will be diverted to follow the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819.
A safety assessment will take place at first light on Monday to consider reopening the road.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain from 00.00 on Tuesday until 15.00 on Wednesday, and teams will remain on high alert to respond to any changes in conditions and will continuously monitor the hillside. Operation of the OMR will also be kept under careful review with daily assessments carried out to consider if it is safe to keep the local diversion open. Teams will keep the standard diversion route between Inveraray and Tarbet on standby for road users should conditions deteriorate.
Engineers continue to work through a programme of repairs and install additional landslip mitigation measures at the Rest following two major landslides in August and September as well as further landslips caused by heavy rain brought in by Storm Aiden at the end of October.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The unrelenting wet weather being experienced continues to inundate the scarred hillside at the Rest, with further heavy rain forecast overnight tonight.
“For this reason we’ve taken the decision, with Transport Scotland, to close the OMR overnight from 6pm as a safety precaution due to the weather forecast and the already saturated slopes. All traffic will be diverted from 6pm via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray overnight.
“Teams will carry out a safety inspection from first light tomorrow morning to assess for reopening the local diversion route during the day.
“With the rain set to continue through Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday road users should expect further overnight closures of the OMR in the coming days, however we’ll assess the route on a daily basis to determine if it is safe to keep the route open for motorists.
“We understand the frustration that this causes, however it is essential that we continue to work on a safety-first approach and do everything we can to keep road users safe.
“Engineers are continuing to work when it is safe to do so to complete a programme of repairs in the area and we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time information is available from www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Sunday 15 November – 8.20am
LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE OLD MILITARY ROAD THROUGH REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
• Route remains under close review as heavy rain forecast
• OMR expected to close from 6pm overnight tonight as a safety precaution
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route through Glen Croe at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened this morning shortly before 8am following a safety inspection at first light.
The route was closed overnight as a safety precaution due to heavy rain.
The OMR will remain in use throughout the day however is expected to close again as a safety precaution from 6pm overnight due to further wet weather in the area. Teams are on site carrying out further inspections of the hillside and an assessment of weather conditions in the area and a decision will be taken early afternoon.
The A83 remains closed as engineers progress with a programme of repairs and work to install additional landslip mitigation measures on the hillside above the route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve reopened the OMR this morning following a safety inspection however we’ll be keeping the route under close review due to further wet weather forecast.
“We’re continuing to put safety first and are expecting to close the OMR again from 6pm tonight as a safety precaution however teams are assessing and inspecting the area and we’ll make a final decision early afternoon.
“As ever we thank all road users for their patience while we address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Saturday 14 November – 12.30pm
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT DUE TO FORECAST HEAVY RAIN
• Standard diversion route from Inveraray to Tarbet via A82, A85 & A819 to be used overnight from 6pm
• Safety inspection at first light Sunday to consider reopening OMR during daytime
• Route is expected to close again from 6pm Sunday night due to further wet weather
The Old Military Road (OMR) next to the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll will close overnight from 6pm due to heavy rain forecast in the area overnight.
All traffic will be diverted to follow the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819 from 6pm overnight tonight (Saturday).
A safety inspection will take place at first light on Sunday morning to assess if the OMR is safe to reopen to road users as a local diversion route through Glen Croe while the A83 trunk road remains closed.
Further heavy rain is forecast throughout Sunday and teams will be on site monitoring conditions and inspecting the hillside. The OMR is expected to close overnight on Sunday night from 6pm as a safety precaution due to the heavy rain forecast on an already over saturated hillside.
Engineers continue to work through a programme of repairs and install additional landslip mitigation measures at the Rest following two major landslides in August and September as well as further landslips caused by heavy rain brought in by Storm Aiden at the end of October.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Tonight a weather front is forecast to move in which is expected to bring heavy rain across the Rest and Be Thankful area.
“We’ve taken the decision, with Transport Scotland, to close the OMR overnight from 6pm as a safety precaution due to the weather forecast and the already saturated hillside. All traffic will be diverted from 6pm via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray overnight.
“Teams will carry out a safety inspection from first light tomorrow morning to assess for reopening the local diversion route during the day.
“The rain is set to continue throughout Sunday and overnight and we’re expecting to close the OMR from 6pm Sunday too.
“We understand the frustration that this may cause, however it is essential that we continue to work on a safety-first approach and do everything we can to keep road users safe.
“Engineers are continuing to work 24/7 to complete a programme of repairs in the area and we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time information is available from www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Friday 13 November – 3.30pm
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN IN USE OVERNIGHT ON FRIDAY
• OMR to remain open on Friday night but is expected to close on Saturday night and Sunday night from 6pm due to heavy rain forecast throughout weekend
The Old Military Road (OMR) is to remain in use for all road users overnight tonight (Friday) at the Rest and Be Thankful, providing a local diversion route through Glen Croe while the A83 is closed.
Heavy rain is forecast throughout the weekend, and teams expect the OMR will be closed overnight on both Saturday and Sunday nights as a safety precaution due to the adverse weather. On Saturday and Sunday nights traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819.
A safety inspection will take place at first light on both Sunday morning and Monday morning, with the OMR expected to be in use during the daytime.
Teams are monitoring weather conditions in the area and closely assessing the hillside for any changes.
Engineers are continuing work to complete a programme of repairs to debris fences and install additional landslip mitigation measures in the area.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Weather conditions look favourable this evening so we’re keeping the Old Military Road open overnight tonight and throughout the day tomorrow, with teams continually monitoring the area for any changes.
“The weather forecast for Saturday evening and Sunday is set to bring heavy rain to the area, and we expect to close the OMR overnight on both Saturday and Sunday night as a safety precaution. On these nights road users will be diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819 from 6pm.
“We understand the frustration that this may cause however we need to prioritise safety at all times.
“As ever we thank all road users for their patience while we do everything we can to safely address the situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 13 November – 9.40am
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE AT REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION AT FIRST LIGHT
• Engineers continue to work on debris fences repairs and installation of further landslip mitigation measures
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll has reopened at around 8.15am following a safety inspection by geotechnical teams this morning.
The local diversion route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, was closed overnight from 6pm yesterday as a safety precaution after further heavy rain was forecast following around 66mm of rain on Wednesday.
All traffic was diverted between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 & A819 overnight however this has since been stood down. Traffic is now being convoyed through the single-track OMR.
Teams are in the process of carrying out further inspections and assessments of the hillside to determine if the OMR can remain open overnight. Further heavy rain is expected over the weekend and teams will be keeping the route under close review.
Engineers continue to work 24/7 to complete a programme of repairs to the debris fences and install further landslip mitigation measures along the route. A helicopter is being used today to assist in bringing materials up the hillside to allow repairs to continue.
Teams on site from BEAR Scotland have also expressed thanks to a number of local road users who have stopped to provide kind donations of cakes and treats in recent weeks.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The Old Military Road reopened following a safety inspection early this morning and is operating well.
“We’re in the process of assessing the hillside and reviewing the forecast weather conditions for this evening and will make a decision as to whether we can keep the OMR running overnight later today.
“We also want to express our thanks to those in the local community who, despite this extremely frustrating situation, have stopped to pass kind donations of cakes and treats to our teams working on site. These kind gestures mean a lot and are much appreciated and the teams are extremely grateful.
“Engineers are continuing to work 24/7 to complete the programme of repairs at the Rest as quickly and safely as we can, and as ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation.”
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 13 November – 8.15am
Old Military Road now open following safety inspection.
Teams remain on site carrying out programme of repairs to debris fences & installing further mitigation measures.
Further update to follow.
Thursday 12 November – 3.00pm
LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE AT 6PM OVERNIGHT AS SAFETY PRECAUTION DUE TO SATURATED HILLSIDE AND FURTHER RAIN FORECAST
• Standard diversion route from Inveraray to Tarbet via A85, A82 & A819 to be used overnight from 6pm
• Safety inspection to take place at first light Friday morning to consider reopening OMR
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful is to close tonight from 6pm as a safety precaution due to further heavy rain forecast overnight and high levels of water saturation across the hillside.
The OMR will close from 6pm with all traffic being diverted via the standard diversion route between Inveraray and Tarbet via the A82, A85 and A819. A safety inspection will take place at first light tomorrow morning with a view to reopening the OMR as soon as possible.
Yesterday (Wednesday) around 66mm of rain fell at the Rest and Be Thankful, with further intense periods of heavy rain forecast later tonight and in the early hours of tomorrow morning. Geotechnical engineers have been assessing and inspecting the hillside throughout the day, with the decision to close the road overnight being made as a precaution due to the saturation of the slope.
Engineers are continuing to carry out a programme of mitigation measures above the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Following yesterday’s heavy rainfall, a close observation of tonight’s forecast and a detailed inspection of the saturated hillside, we’ve taken the decision to again close the Old Military Road through Glen Croe overnight as a safety precaution.
“A safety inspection will take place at first light to determine if the OMR can reopen as before.
“We understand the frustration at having to close the local diversion overnight, however motorist safety is our number one priority and we need to ensure this is upheld at all times.
“We’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest and as ever we thank the local community and all motorists for their patience.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Thursday 12 November – 10.00am
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE AT A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS
• A83 remains closed and teams continue with work to address debris caught in landslip mitigation fences
• Further heavy rain forecast overnight
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened to all road users at around 8.00am this morning following a safety inspection at first light.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, has reopened with traffic being convoyed through the single-track road.
Further heavy rain is forecast overnight tonight (Thursday), and teams will carry out detailed hillside assessments and inspections to determine if it is safe to keep the OMR open overnight.
Around 66mm of rain fell in the area over the past 24 hours, and the OMR was closed as a safety precaution from 6pm on Wednesday due to heavy rain continuing overnight. All traffic was diverted via the standard diversion route however this has since been stood down.
Engineers continue with work to progress a programme of mitigation measures across four fronts at the A83. This include two debris fences which were impacted by landslips during Storm Aiden at the end of October, a new debris fence across the steep channel above the A83 formed by major landslips in August and September, and the construction of a further catch-pit on the A83 as part of a medium-term mitigation programme on the route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The Old Military Road reopened this morning following a safety inspection from our geotechnical team.
“We’ll be closely monitoring conditions in the area and on the hillside throughout the day, with geotechnical teams carrying out a detailed inspection of the hillside ahead of further heavy rain overnight. We’ll make a decision in early afternoon as to whether we’ll be able to safely keep the OMR open overnight.
“Teams are continuing with work to reinstate the debris fences and install further mitigation measures above the A83 to help provide further protection to the route, and engineers are working 24 hours a day to try and complete this work as quickly as possible.
“As ever, we thank the local community and road users for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 11 November – 2.30pm
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO CLOSE AT 6PM AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION DUE TO HEAVY RAIN
• All traffic to be diverted via standard diversion route A83, A82, A85 & A819
• Met Office warning for heavy rain issued until 3am
• Safety inspection to take place at first light Thursday morning to consider reopening
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful is set to close overnight from 6pm as a safety precaution due to further forecast heavy rain overnight tonight (Wednesday).
All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route overnight from 6pm via the A85, A82 and A819 between Tarbet and Inveraray. A safety inspection will take place at first light tomorrow morning to assess the hillside with a view to reopening the OMR.
Around 35mm of rain has fallen in the area since early Wednesday morning, with a further 20mm expected overnight. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain across the west coast of Scotland until 3am on Thursday morning.
Geotechnical teams are on site closely monitoring weather conditions in the area and any changes on the hillside.
Engineers are continuing to carry out work to complete a programme of mitigation measures in the area which will help provide additional landslip resilience to the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Heavy rain has been falling at the Rest and Be Thankful since early this morning, and we’ve been closely monitoring conditions as well as any impact the rain is having on the hillside.
“With further intense rain forecast overnight we’ve taken the decision to close the OMR as a safety precaution due to limitations in being able to safely monitor the hillside and any changes overnight.
“All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route between Tarbet and Inveraray via the A82, A85 and A819 from 6pm this evening overnight. Geotechnical specialists will carry out a safety inspection at first light tomorrow to assess the hillside ahead of a potential reopening of the OMR tomorrow morning.
“We’ll also have teams on hand patrolling the diversion route overnight to assess for any issues and help keep motorists moving.
“Teams continue with mitigation work on the A83 and we’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.
“As ever, we thank all road users as well as the local community for their continued patience while we progress with the landslip mitigation work at the Rest and Be Thankful.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Tuesday 10 November – 4.00pm
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE REMAINS IN USE FOR ROAD USERS AS ENGINEERS CONTINUE WITH MITIGATION WORK ON A83
• OMR Local diversion route to remain under close review due to forecast heavy rain throughout Wednesday
• Met Office Yellow warning in place across parts of Scotland from 2am to midnight on Wednesday
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route remains in use for all road users at the Rest and Be Thankful while teams continue with repairs and further installation of mitigation measures above the A83.
The OMR, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, has been in use 24 hours a day since last weekend, with the A83 having been closed as a result of the landslips that damaged the debris fencing stationed above the route.
Further heavy rain is forecast in the area from early Wednesday morning and is to be persistent throughout the day. A Met Office weather warning has been issued that covers the Argyll area from 2am until midnight on Wednesday, and teams will be closely monitoring conditions in the area and any resulting effects on the hillside that could necessitate closure of the OMR at short notice.
Engineers continue with work to progress a programme of mitigation measures across four fronts at the A83. Two teams are clearing and repairing debris fences which were impacted by landslips during Storm Aiden, one team is working to install a large in-channel barrier across the steep channel above the A83 formed by major landslips in August and September, and another team is working on developing the next catch-pit on the A83 as part of a medium-term mitigation programme on the route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re intending to keep the OMR in operation throughout the night tonight and during the day tomorrow, however with heavy rain forecast we’ll be keeping a close eye on conditions in the area as well as any impact to the hillside.
“We’re continuing to lead with a safety first approach and if conditions deteriorate in the area then we will move to make sure that motorists are kept safe and close the OMR as a precaution, diverting to the standard route via the A85, A82 and A819 if required. We’ll only use this route if necessary and in the meantime we’ll continue to keep the OMR in use.
“Teams are making good progress with the ongoing programme of mitigation measures in the area, with engineers working round the clock to complete the work.
“As ever, we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 9 November – 6.10pm
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL REPAIRS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS
Work to repair debris fences and install further mitigation measures above the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful is set to continue this week, with further good progress being made over the weekend.
Over the past three months since the first major landslip on 4 August, geotechnical specialists estimate that around 20,000 tonnes of material is thought to have moved across the hillside as a result of wet weather. While the majority of this material moved during the two major landslips on 4 August and 13 September, small amounts of material has been gradually reaching the debris catch-pits during periods of heavy rain, with two further large landslips during Storm Aiden bringing a further 3,600 tonnes of debris to the landslip mitigation fences.
What mitigation work has been completed so far?
Teams continue to work 24/7 to address the ongoing repair and mitigation measures working on four different fronts: –
A double debris barrier impacted by a landslide on Saturday 31 October.
Progress – The barrier has now been emptied and 2,400 Tonnes of material removed.
A single debris barrier impacted by a second landslide on Saturday 31 October.
Progress – The barrier has now been emptied and 1,200 Tonnes of material removed.
A new debris barrier at the location of the landslides in August and September, along with embankment strengthening below the A83.
Progress – The anchors have been drilled into bedrock for the new fence which will give it the strength needed to withstand future impacts.
Construction of a new debris pit and debris fence in an adjacent area, which is work originally planned to be undertaken at this time to give extra resilience to the A83.
Progress – Excavation of the pit has commenced, and an access ramp constructed to gain access to the back face of the excavation.
What work is planned for the week ahead?
The lower of the double debris fences will be repaired, sections replaced as necessary, to allow it to be re-erected
The single debris fences will be repaired, sections replaced as necessary, to allow it to be re-erected
The new debris fence concrete foundation will be constructed.
Work will continue to form the new debris catch pit.
What is the plan for road users on the A83?
All traffic will continue to be diverted via the Old Military Road local diversion route through Glen Croe 24 hours a day, weather permitting. The OMR is a single-track road which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, with traffic convoyed through for safety when the A83 is closed at the Rest.
Teams are carefully monitoring weather conditions and operation of the OMR will be kept under close review.
Once the repairs to the fences impacted by Storm Aiden are completed teams will look to reopen the A83 under traffic light control during the daytime. This work is expected to be completed by mid-November, with teams targeting Monday 16 November for daytime reopening of the route, weather depending. The Old Military Road will then continue to be used overnight until the new debris barrier is constructed, expected to be completed by the end of November.
A weather front bringing heavy rain and high winds is expected to reach the Rest and Be Thankful from Wednesday this week, and teams will continue to monitor the weather and conditions in the area.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Engineers are continuing on to work on four fronts to deliver a programme of landslip resilience work across the hillside at the A83.
“We’ve had a period of dry weather following Storm Aiden which is allowing us to make good progress with repairs and press on with installation of a new debris barrier which once complete will provide a greater level of protection for the A83.
“As ever we’re leading with a safety-first approach and with another weather front moving in this week we’ll be keeping a close eye on weather conditions in the area, with operation of the OMR kept under careful review.
“We thank all road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing issues at the Rest.”
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 6 November – 2.45pm
TEAMS CONTINUE TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS WITH REPAIRS TO DEBRIS FENCES IMPACTED BY TWO LANDSLIDES LAST WEEKEND
Engineers working 24/7 to continue with programme of repairs
Over 3,600 tonnes of material caught in the debris fences
Old Military Road local diversion route remains in operation 24/7
Clear up operations and complex repairs are progressing well at the A83 Rest and be Thankful. Teams are working around the clock to complete the programme of work after two landslips impacted debris fences on Saturday 31 October.
The repairs involve reinstating the debris fences which prevented over 3,600 tonnes of material reaching the main A83 carriageway during heavy rain caused by Storm Aiden last weekend.
So far, teams have made good progress with the removal of material from the fences and will begin restoring them to their full capacity once all material is removed. This phase of work is expected to be completed by mid-November and once complete, one lane of the A83 will reopen under traffic light control during the daytime and revert to the OMR overnight.
Teams also continue to progress with the debris fence above the steep channel formed by landslips in August and September. This mitigation measure will provide additional protection for the A83 and allow it to remain open overnight with work expected to be completed by the end of November.
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful remains in use for road users 24 hours a day. Teams continue to closely review conditions of the hillside and monitor weather forecasts to ensure it is safe to operate.
All of this work is over and above the construction of a debris pit on a further hillside channel which is part of the wider medium term programme to strengthen the resilience of the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Teams are working on four different fronts at the moment at the Rest to deal with the most recent landslides and to increase the resilience of the A83.
“We are progressing well with recovery work following the landslides last weekend which resulted in 3,600 tonnes of material caught in three of the debris fences. One of the fences sustained some damage from a 20-tonne boulder although was successful in retaining it as well as 1,200 tonnes of material. We are now working to clear the debris and boulders from the three fences and will then complete repairs before reinstating them to give future protection to the A83. These works are on course to be completed by mid-November and will see one lane of the A83 open throughout the daytime.
“Work also continues with additional mitigation measures in the steep channel formed above the route following major landslips in August and September. Teams are on track to complete this stage of mitigation work by the end of November, which will provide additional protection for the A83 and allow it to resume operation overnight.
“The Old Military Road continues to be used as a local diversion 24/7. We continue to closely monitor weather conditions to ensure it is safe for use.
“The medium term programme of works to improve resilience is also continuing as originally planned with the construction of a further debris pit progressing well. This phase of work will be completed early in the new year.
“As ever, we thank the local community and road users for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest. There is a huge amount of complex work being completed, much of it unseen by the traveling public but when completed will be another step in our efforts to improve the resilience of the A83 for local people, local business and visitors”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 4 November – 3.30pm
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN IN USE 24 HOURS A DAY UNTIL DEBRIS FENCES REPAIRED MID-NOVEMBER
• OMR to remain in use 24/7 until repairs to debris fences impacted by landslips during Storm Aiden are completed
• A83 expected to reopen during daytime under traffic light control from mid-November once fence repairs complete
• OMR to remain under close review subject to weather conditions
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful is to remain in use for road users 24 hours a day while engineers complete repairs to debris fences impacted by Storm Aiden.
The fences prevented two significant landslips from reaching the A83 following heavy rain brought in by during Storm Aiden, however they now require a series of repairs to reinstate the impacted debris fences, clear them of material and restore them to their full capacity to ensure the A83 remains protected. Until this work is complete the A83 needs to remain closed as a safety precaution while these mitigation measures are restored.
This work is expected to be completed by mid-November, after which one lane of the A83 will reopen under traffic light control during the daytime and revert to the OMR overnight.
The next stage of mitigation work will see the continuation of work to install a new debris fence at the steep channel formed above the route following major landslips in August and September. Teams are on track to complete this stage of mitigation work by the end of November, which will provide additional protection for the A83 and allow it to resume operation overnight.
The OMR will remain under close review with teams paying close attention the weather forecast and continually monitoring the hillside above the road.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The debris fences performed as designed at the weekend and successfully prevented two landslips from reaching the carriageway following over 90mm of heavy rain within 24 hours. Teams are how undertaking work to repair the nets, remove the debris and reinstate them as before.
“This work is complex due to damage caused by boulders brought down in the debris, with teams expecting to complete the repairs by mid-November. We’re continuing to put road user safety first and until the debris fences are back to full capacity we’ll be diverting all road users via the OMR as a precaution.
“We’ll continue to carry out daily assessments of the hillside and closely monitor the weather forecast, and we’ll keep the operation of the OMR under close review.
“Engineers are also continuing work on the in-channel barrier above the steep channel formed in August and September, which once complete will provide extra mitigation and protection for the A83, allowing us to keep the road open overnight under traffic light control as before and stand down the night-time use of the OMR. This stage of work is on track to be completed at the end of November.
“We understand this is a very frustrating situation and as ever we thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to complete the ongoing work at 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.
Tuesday 3 November – 10.00am
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE AT A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS
• OMR to remain in use overnight
• A83 remains closed and teams continue with work to address debris caught in landslip mitigation fences
The Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened to all road users at around 7.45am this morning following a safety inspection at first light.
The route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will remain in use overnight with traffic being convoyed through the single-track road. Teams will closely monitor conditions in the area and on the hillside and the route will remain under close review.
The OMR was closed as a safety precaution overnight due to further heavy rain forecast in the area with all traffic diverted via the standard diversion route, however this has since been stood down.
The A83 remains closed at the Rest and Be Thankful while teams work to address debris from two landslips which were caught in landslide mitigation fences on the hillside from the heavy rain brought in by
Storm Aiden, as well as repair the fences to their full capacity. No material reached the roadside during the landslips this weekend.
Engineers are also continuing with work to install further mitigation measures on the hillside including an in-channel debris barrier following major landslips in August and September.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The Old Military Road reopened this morning following a safety inspection from our geotechnical team, and we’re intending to keep the route in use overnight.
“We’ll be closely monitoring conditions in the area throughout the day and during the hours of darkness and we’ll keep the route under close review.
“Teams are continuing with work to control the water flow, and repair and empty the debris fences to regain their full capacity following this past weekend’s wet weather. Engineers also continue with work to install additional mitigation measures on the hillside at the Rest.
“As ever, we thank the local community and road users for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 2 November – 10.15am
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE REOPENED FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION HOWEVER WILL CLOSE FROM 6PM OVERNIGHT AS SAFETY PRECAUTION
• All traffic to be diverted via standard diversion route from 6pm
• Further heavy rain forecast overnight on Monday
• Assessment to take place Tuesday AM to consider reopening
• Work continues on hillside
The Old Military Road local diversion route reopened at around 7.45am this morning following a safety inspection from geotechnical specialists, however is set to close again from 6pm this evening due to further heavy rain forecast.
The standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819 will be implemented overnight as a safety precaution as more wet weather is forecast to impact the area at the Rest and Be Thankful.
Over the past weekend Storm Aiden brought around 90mm of heavy rain since early Saturday morning which caused two significant landslides at the Rest, both of which were held back from reaching the A83 by the landslide debris fences on the hillside. Teams will continue with assessments of the hillside throughout Monday and begin work to clear the debris from the fences and complete any repairs.
Engineers are also continuing to install further mitigation measures at the steep channel formed by major landslips in August and September, including an in-channel barrier on the hillside.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative: “We’re continuing to lead on a safety-first approach and have taken the decision to close the OMR overnight tonight from 6pm due to further heavy rain forecast in the area.
“All traffic will be diverted via the A83, A82, A85 and A819 overnight, and we’ll have our patrols in place so they are available to respond to any issues on the diversion route to ensure we are doing everything we can to help keep traffic moving.
“We’ll carry out an assessment as first light on Tuesday with a view to reopening the OMR to road users tomorrow morning.
“This past weekend’s wet weather has had a significant impact on the hillside, including causing two significant landslips which were prevented from reaching the road by the debris fences, however we need to carry out work at each location to control water flow, empty the fences to regain their capacity and undertake repairs.
“As ever we thank the local community and motorists for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
What alternative travel options are available at the Rest and Be Thankful when the A83 and Old Military Road are closed overnight?
• Ferry provider Western Ferries can accommodate diverted traffic. Up to date information available at www.western-ferries.co.uk by phone 01369 704452 or email enquiries@western-ferries.co.uk
• The standard diversion route runs from the closure points at Tarbet to Cairndow, and is detailed below:
o A82/ A85 / A819: Westbound: Turn right onto the A82 at Tarbet and follow the road until Crianlarich – Turn left onto A82 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn left onto the A85 and continue until Dalmally – Turn left onto A819 and follow the road until Inveraray. Thereafter follow permanent signing. Distance: 58.8 miles.
o Eastbound: At Inveraray, turn left onto the A819 then follow the road until Dalmally – Turn right onto the A85 and continue until Tyndrum – Turn right onto the A82 and follow the road to Crianlarich – Turn right onto A82 and follow the road until Tarbet. Distance: 58.8 miles.
Sunday 1 November – 12:15PM
THE OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE AT THE REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS
OMR to close overnight as a safety precaution
All traffic to be diverted via standard diversion route from 6pm
Further wet weather forecast
Teams continue to assess impact of heavy rain to hillside
Safety inspection will be carried out tomorrow at first light
The Old Military Road at the A83 Rest and be Thankful reopened to traffic at 12PM (Sunday) after closing yesterday due to heavy rain impacting the area causing flooding and two landslides.
The local diversion route will close on Sunday night as a safety precaution due to further forecast wet weather. All traffic will be diverted from 6pm on to the standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819.
Safety assessments will take place at first light tomorrow morning (Monday) to determine if it is safe to reopen the local diversion route.
Two significant landslides occurred on Saturday morning which were held in the debris fences. The weather has precluded a full review of these however these will be assessed today.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “Following safety inspections and clear up operations, the Old Military Road reopened to traffic at mid-day after it was closed yesterday due to heavy rain impacting the area.
“Safety remains our top priority and due to further forecast heavy rainfall overnight and input from our geotechnical specialists, we have taken the decision to close the Old Military Road as a precaution overnight tonight.
“A full safety assessment will take place at first light tomorrow morning to determine if it is safe to reopen the Old Military Road.
“The previous standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819 will be reinstated from 6pm tonight until it is considered safe to reopen the local OMR diversion route.
“Assessments are also on-going today at two locations where landslides were caught in the debris fences and a plan established to allow the full re-opening of the A83.
“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 form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Saturday 31 October – 12:20PM
A83 AND OLD MILITARY ROAD CLOSED AND WILL REMAIN CLOSED ALL DAY TODAY DUE TO SIGNIFICANT HEAVY RAIN IMPACTING THE AREA
All traffic to be diverted via standard diversion route
Yellow weather warnings currently in place for rain and wind
Further 20mm of rain and high winds forecast throughout today
Safety inspection will be carried out tomorrow
The A83 and the Old Military Road (OMR) at the Rest and Be Thankful are currently closed and will remain closed for the remainder of today due to significant rainfall overnight and early this morning (Saturday) impacting the A83 and the local diversion route.
An estimated 53mm of rain has already fallen at the Rest and Be Thankful since Friday night with yellow weather warnings set to remain in place throughout today for rain and wind.
The OMR closed at around 8:20AM after flooding was noted in the area adjacent to the River Croe.
Teams are also monitoring the on-going situation on the A83; currently two landslides above the road have been caught in the debris nets and further material has washed onto a short section of the OMR.
Traffic is being diverted via the usual standard diversion route on the A83, A82, A85 and A819 where additional patrols will be in place to help ensure the diversion remains clear and safe.
Monitoring of the situation at the Rest and be Thankful will continue throughout today. Further heavy rain is forecast on Sunday morning and a further update will be given at mid-day. Until then both the A83 and OMR will remain closed.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “Intense rain overnight, over 38mm in a few hours, has caused the River Croe to over top and flood a section of the Old Military Road (OMR). This required the OMR to close at 8:20am.
“Motorists are being diverted via the usual standard diversion route on the A83, A82, A85 and A819. We have arranged for additional patrols of these routes to be completed throughout the warning period of heavy rain and strong winds. We also have our incident response teams available to deal with any flooding issues on the diversion route, as well as gully tankers and pumps on standby to help ensure the route is kept clear.
“Since the closure this morning, two landslides have occurred above the A83 which have predominantly been caught in the debris nets although the events are continuing. Excess water has also washed material onto a section of the Old Military Road.
“This is an on-going situation which we will continue to monitor today. With poor weather set to continue overnight we will reassess the situation at mid-day on Sunday. Both the A83 and OMR will remain closed in the meantime.
“As ever, we thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience and understanding.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 30 October – 11.35AM
A83 TO REMAIN CLOSED ON FRIDAY AND THROUGHOUT WEEKEND FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
Old Military Road to be in use as local diversion route for all road users until Monday morning
Movement noted on hillside following period of significant rainfall
Yellow heavy rain warning issued for Saturday and Sunday
Teams to continue to monitor conditions in the area
Road users travelling on the A83 will be diverted via the Old Military Road at the Rest and be Thankful on Friday and throughout the weekend for safety reasons, with early morning inspections revealing areas of movement on the hillside above the A83.
Traffic will continue to be diverted from the A83 onto the Old Military Road until at least Monday morning due to areas of movement above the A83 and a weather front moving in across the west coast of Scotland, which could bring up to 40mm of rain to the area on Saturday and a further 20mm on Sunday with high winds.
All road users will be diverted via the Old Military Road as a safety precaution during the daytime and overnight. The hillside and weather conditions in the area will be closely monitored throughout the day by geotechnical specialists on site.
The A83 will be assessed on Monday morning ahead of a potential reopening during the daytime once the weather front has passed. Work will continue on the construction of an in-channel barrier on the hillside above the A83 to provide extra resilience to the route. This work is expected to be complete in late-November.
A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued across parts of the west coast from 9am on Saturday until midnight on Sunday, and teams will be closely monitoring conditions in the area.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “This morning’s inspection revealed movement on the slopes above the A83 which require further assessment and monitoring. There is also a yellow weather warning indicating that up to 60mm of rain is expected to impact the Rest and Be Thankful throughout the weekend, and for safety we have decided to run the Old Military Road all day Friday and throughout the weekend.
“We’ll have geotechnical teams closely monitoring the area to note for any further changes in conditions on the hillside.
“Engineers are continuing with mitigation work at the Rest however will be stood down from working on the hillside if conditions deteriorate.
“We’ll carry out a full safety assessment on Monday morning and will look to reopen the A83 during the day if safe to do so. The OMR will then be brought back into operation at 6pm on Monday as part of the pattern of regular local night time diversions as outlined previously.
“With Met Office yellow warnings in place for heavy rain in place from Saturday morning we’ll be keeping a close eye on the weather forecast this weekend.
“As ever we thank all road users for their patience and assure that we’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 28 October – 5.20PM
A83 TO REMAIN CLOSED THROUGHOUT DAY ON THURSDAY DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FORECAST
• Up to 40mm of rain forecast throughout the day
• Old Military Road to be in use as local diversion route for all road users from 6pm tonight until Friday morning
• Yellow heavy rain warning issued for Saturday and Sunday
• Teams to continue to monitor conditions in the area
Road users travelling on the A83 tomorrow will be diverted via the Old Military Road at the Rest and be Thankful throughout the day due to forecast heavy rain in the area, with teams from BEAR Scotland closely monitoring conditions in the area.
The A83 will remain closed from 6pm this evening until at least Friday morning due to a weather front moving in across the west coast of Scotland which could bring up to 40mm of rain in the area.
All road users will be diverted via the Old Military Road as a safety precaution during the daytime as well as overnight. The hillside and weather conditions in the area will be closely monitored throughout the day by geotechnical specialists on site.
The A83 will be assessed on Friday morning ahead of a potential reopening during the daytime once the weather front has passed. Overnight operation of the Old Military Road will then resume from 6pm as a safety precaution during the hours of darkness, whilst an in-channel barrier is installed on the hillside above the A83 to provide extra resilience to the route. This work is expected to be complete in late-November.
A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued across parts of the west coast from 6am on Saturday until midnight on Sunday, and teams will be closely monitoring conditions in the area.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Tomorrow’s weather forecast indicates that up to 40mm of rain is expected to impact the Rest and Be Thankful throughout the day, and for safety we have decided to run the Old Military Road during the hours of daylight tomorrow.
“We’ll have geotechnical teams closely monitoring the area to note for any changes in conditions on the hillside.
“Engineers are continuing with mitigation work at the Rest however will be stood down from working on the hillside if conditions deteriorate.
“We’ll carry out a full safety assessment on Friday morning and will look to reopen the A83 during the day if safe to do so. The OMR will then be brought back into operation at 6pm as part of the pattern of regular local night time diversions outlined yesterday.
“With Met Office yellow warnings in place for heavy rain in place from Saturday morning we’ll be keeping a close eye on the weather forecast this weekend.
“As ever we thank all road users for their patience and assure them we’re doing everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
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 27 October – 4.30PM
OVERNIGHT CLOSURES OF A83 AT REST AND BE THANKFUL TO CONTINUE EACH NIGHT FROM 6PM UNTIL LATE NOVEMBER WHEN CURRENT PHASE OF MITIGATION IS COMPLETE
• Overnight use of Old Military Road local diversion route from 6pm every night as safety precaution
• Water saturation on hillside, regular rainfall and limitations in safely monitoring the area overnight has informed decision
• Safety inspection to take place at first light each morning to assess for A83 reopening
• Mitigation measures expected to take four weeks to complete
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful will close overnight from 6pm each evening as a safety precaution until the current phase of mitigation is completed on the hillside in late November.
From today (Tuesday), all traffic will be diverted via the Old Military Road from 6pm each night as a safety precaution until engineers have completed the construction of an in-channel debris barrier on the hillside, which will provide extra resilience to the A83. Teams will work continuously to install the barrier which is expected to be complete by the end of November.
A safety inspection will take place at first light each morning ahead of a potential reopening on the A83 under traffic signal control.
As a result of the landslips in August and September, the slopes situated above the A83 at the Rest have been left heavily scarred and exposed to further erosion, with loose material present both on the hillside and within the newly formed channel directly above the road.
The behaviour of the hillside and the newly formed channel has been closely monitored for movement by geotechnical specialists since the landslips occurred, with the road opening based on these inspections.
Over the past week significant rainfall – around 150mm since Sunday 18 October – has inundated the Rest, with small amounts of debris and silt from the hillside gradually reaching the specially created catch-pits next to the A83, however no material impacted the carriageway. This week further heavy rain is anticipated at the Rest and be Thankful.
The nature and intensity of rainfall requires constant monitoring of the hillside for indications of movement that may pose a safety risk to road users and teams on site. Whilst continuous inspection is viable during daylight hours, it is not safe to continue with close inspections during darkness given the saturation on the hillside, further rainfall and the threat of material movement.
Once the in-channel barrier is installed on the hillside, teams will be able to continue with the construction of a new roadside catch pit at the foot of the newly formed channel which will provide further protection for the A83. With the in-channel barrier in place it is also envisaged that the A83 will be more resilient for operation during darkness under traffic light control.
Closing the A83 at 6pm each night from today until late November will allow for reliable journey times for road users travelling on the A83 and allow them to plan accordingly to account for the Old Military Road local diversion route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re continuing to put motorist safety first, and as more seasonal wet weather approaches we have taken the decision to close the A83 each night from 6pm overnight as a safety precaution.
“The Old Military Road will be used overnight for all road users with an inspection taking place at first light in the morning ahead of a potential reopening on the A83 under traffic signal control.
“Already over the past week we’ve seen the challenges that normal autumnal weather is presenting with the current condition of the hillside at the Rest.
“With more rain forecast this week, we need to ensure we’re doing everything we can to protect road users. With autumnal weather expected to bring wet conditions most weeks on an already saturated hillside, it is extremely difficult for us to safely monitor the slopes above the A83 during the hours of darkness.
“Engineers anticipate having the in-channel debris barrier in operation by late November, which will provide a good degree of resilience to the A83 and provide us with more confidence in safely opening the road again overnight.
“We understand the frustration that this may cause however we need to prioritise safety at all times. We’re also hoping that by making this decision now will provide a degree of clarity for road users and allow people to plan their journeys in advance.
“As ever we thank the local community and road users for their patience in advance while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
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 27 October – 8.15AM
A83 REOPENS UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL AT THE REST AND BE THANKFUL
• Route remains under close review
• Old Military Road local diversion route remains on standby
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened at around 7.50am this morning following a safety inspection from geotechnical teams on site.
The Old Military Road local diversion route was used from 5pm overnight as a safety precaution due to further heavy rain forecast early morning today.
The A83 will remain under close review with the Old Military Road local diversion on standby ready to be implemented should conditions deteriorate.
Further heavy rain is forecast in the area throughout the week and teams will be closely monitoring weather conditions.
Teams are continuing with construction of mitigation measures on the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The A83 has reopened this morning following a safety inspection by our geotechnical teams this morning.
“We’re continuing to prioritise road user safety at all times and with further heavy rain forecast in the coming days we’ll be closely monitoring conditions at the Rest and keeping the route under close review. The Old Military Road diversion remains on standby and will be implemented for all road users as a safety precaution should we feel it is required.
“We thank all road users and the local community for their patience while we continue with the ongoing work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 26 October – 4.20pm
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT DUE TO SATURATED HILLSIDE AND FURTHER RAIN FORECAST
• Old Military Road local diversion route to be used overnight for all motorists
• Safety inspection to take place tomorrow morning to determine if safe to reopen A83
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful will close overnight from 5pm due to continuing concerns over water saturation on the hillside and the further rain forecast for Tuesday morning.
The Old Military Road will be used as a local diversion route from 5pm this evening to convoy road users through Glen Croe as a safety precaution.
The route has been under close review due to continued wet weather impacting the area and hillside above the A83 over the past week.
Teams are continuing with construction of mitigation measures on the A83.
A geotechnical safety inspection will take place tomorrow morning to determine if the A83 can safely reopen.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Following on from several days of heavy rain in the area, we’ve taken the decision to close the road again overnight as a safety precaution with all road users being diverted via the Old Military Road.
“We’re leading with a safety-first approach and with more rain forecast we’re closing the road as a safety precaution due to the limitations in being able to safely monitor the hillside during the hours of darkness.
“We’ll review the situation tomorrow morning and carry out a safety inspection once conditions allow with a view to reopening the A83 once safe to do so.
“As ever we thank the local community and all road users for their patience while we address the ongoing situation at the Rest and Be Thankful.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 26 October – 8.00am
A83 REOPENS UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
• Old Military Road diversion route remains on standby as a precaution
• Route remains under close review with more heavy rain forecast this week
• Teams continue with mitigation work in area
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened to road users under traffic light control at around 7.45am following a safety inspection.
The route was closed on Sunday night as a precautionary measure, with the Old Military Road local diversion put into operation at 5pm given the heavily saturated hillside above the A83 and the forecast rain overnight.
Geotechnical specialists assessed the hillside and steep channels above the carriageway at first light for safety before the A83 reopened.
The A83 and the hillside above at the Rest and Be Thankful is being kept under careful observation given the recent heavy rainfall experienced and with further weather events now forecast this week. As part of BEAR’s safety first approach, the Old Military Road local diversion route is being retained in a state of readiness should it be required.
Where a diversion from the A83 becomes necessary, all road users will be switched to the Old Military Road with vehicles convoyed along the local diversion, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe.
Engineers are continuing to install mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The A83 reopened under traffic light control at around 7.45am this morning following a safety inspection by our geotechnical teams on site.
“We’re putting road user safety first and the route will be kept under careful review with teams continuing to monitor the weather conditions in the area as well as the hillside above the road. Given the level of rainfall experienced over the past week, we have retained the OMR local diversion in a state of readiness.
“It is particularly difficult for us to monitor the hillside and any sudden changes in conditions during the hours of darkness, and given the further rain forecast, we continue to put the safety of motorists first by having the OMR local diversion available for implementation at any time that a diversion might become necessary.
“We are continuing to install mitigation measures at the A83 and we will endeavour to do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum. As ever we thank road users and the local community for their patience while we continue this work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Sunday 25 October – 9:10AM
A83 REOPENS UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
• Old Military Road diversion route remains on standby as a precaution
• Route remains under close review following week of heavy rain
• Teams continue with mitigation work in area
• A83 to close at 5pm with Old Military Road local diversion to operate overnight
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened to road users under traffic light control at around 8am following a safety inspection.
As a precautionary measure during the hours of darkness, the Old Military Road local diversion route was put into operation from 6pm on Saturday evening, but has now been stood down.
Geotechnical specialists assessed the hillside and steep channels above the carriageway for safety before the A83 reopened.
The A83 will be kept under careful review following almost a week of heavy rain in the area where approximately 130mm has fallen. As part of our safety first approach, and given the level of water saturation experienced by the hillside at the Rest and Be Thankful, the Old Military Road local diversion route will remain in a state of readiness should it be required.
With further periods of rainfall expected across Argyll on Sunday and into Monday morning, the A83 will close at 5pm on Sunday as a safety precaution. All road users will be switched to the Old Military Road with vehicles convoyed along the local diversion, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, throughout the night.
Engineers are continuing to install mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The A83 reopened under traffic light control at around 8am this morning following a safety inspection by our geotechnical teams on site.
“We’re putting road user safety first and the route will be kept under careful review with teams continuing to monitor the conditions in the area as well as the hillside above the road. Given the level of rainfall experienced over the past week, we have retained the OMR local diversion in a state of readiness.
“It is difficult for us to monitor the hillside and any sudden changes in conditions during the hours of darkness, and given the further rain forecast, we continue to put the safety of motorists first and will close the A83 as a precaution overnight and utilise the OMR local diversion instead. We are continuing to install mitigation measures at the A83 and we will endeavour to do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum. As ever we thank road users and the local community for their patience while we continue this work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Saturday 24 October – 17:15PM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL TO CLOSE FOR SAFETY FROM 6PM DUE TO FURTHER RAIN FORECAST SUNDAY MORNING
• Old Military Road local diversion to be implemented from 6pm tonight as a safety precaution
• A83 will be inspected on Sunday morning with a view to re-opening
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to be implemented for road users this evening due to a further period of heavy rainfall expected on Sunday morning.
The A83 route will close from 6pm as a safety precaution given the already saturated hillside at the Rest and Be Thankful. Vehicles will be convoyed along the Old Military Road local diversion, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, throughout the night.
Teams continue to monitor the hillside and conditions in the area with engineers continuing with mitigation work on the route.
A geotechnical assessment will be undertaken from first light tomorrow (Sunday) to determine if the A83 can safely reopen.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “We’ve assessed the hillside and the forecast weather conditions, and given the extent of rainfall in past days we have taken the decision to close the A83 overnight as a safety precaution.
“It is difficult for us to monitor the hillside and any sudden changes in conditions during the hours of darkness, so we’re continuing to put the safety of motorists first and will close the A83 as a precaution overnight and utilise the OMR local diversion instead.
“We’ll review the situation tomorrow morning and carry out further assessments from first light to determine if we can reopen the A83.
“Further heavy rain is forecast over the coming days and we’ll be closely monitoring the weather conditions and the hillside at the Rest.
“As ever we’ll do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum, and we thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience and understanding.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, Twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Saturday 24 October – 10.15AM
A83 REOPENS UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL FOLLOWING OVERNIGHT HEAVY RAIN
• Old Military Road diversion route remains on standby as a precaution
• Route remains under close review following almost a week of heavy rain
• Teams continue with mitigation work in area
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful has reopened to road users under traffic light control at around 10am following a safety inspection.
Heavy rain overnight and throughout Saturday morning meant the Old Military Road local diversion route was in use as a safety precaution for road users from 6pm on Friday evening, although has since been stood down.
Geotechnical specialists assessed the hillside and steep channels above the carriageway for safety before the A83 reopened.
The A83 will be kept under careful review following almost a week of heavy rain in the area. The Old Military Road local diversion route will remain on standby ready to be implemented quickly should conditions deteriorate, or teams identify changes in conditions on the hillside.
Engineers are continuing to install mitigation measures on the hillside above the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The A83 reopened under traffic light control at around 10am this morning following a thorough safety inspection by our geotechnical teams on site.
“We’re putting road user safety first and the route will be kept under careful review with teams continuing to monitor the conditions in the area as well as the hillside above the road. The OMR will remain on standby ready to be implemented should conditions change at the Rest and we need to switch to the local diversion as a safety precaution.
“In the meantime we’re continuing to install more mitigation measures at the A83 and we’ll endeavour to do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum. As ever we thank road users and the local community for their patience while we continue this work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 23 October – 9.30AM
A83 AT REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL HOWEVER WILL CLOSE AT 6PM DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FRIDAY NIGHT
• Further heavy rainfall expected from the early hours of Saturday morning
• Old Military Road local diversion to be implemented from 6pm tonight as a safety precaution
• Daily assessments to be carried out and route to remain under close observation due to further heavy rain forecast throughout weekend
• Mitigation work continues
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened under traffic light control at around 8.30am this morning following a safety inspection, however the road will close again at 6pm this evening due to forecast heavy rain expected overnight into Saturday morning.
The route was closed at 6pm on Thursday due to the forecast for rainfall overnight, with all traffic switched to the Old Military Road local diversion route which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe. The A83 reopened following a geotechnical assessment and safety inspection of the hillside at first light this morning.
Further rainfall is expected across Argyll throughout Friday night and early Saturday morning, and the decision has been made to switch all road users to the Old Military Road from 6pm this evening as a safety precaution following several days of wet weather in the area.
Over the weekend, monitoring and assessment activities will continue to inform decisions over the operation of the A83, with the local diversion to the Old Military Road being implemented when necessary.
Engineers are continuing with mitigation work in the area including the installation of a debris pit, debris catch-fence and stabilisation work in the steep channel above the slope.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said; “The A83 reopened under traffic light control at around 8.30am this morning following a thorough safety assessment by our geotechnical team.
“We’ve been closely monitoring the weather conditions and forecast at the Rest, and with more rain expected to impact the area overnight we’ve taken the decision to close the A83 again at 6pm this evening as a safety precaution during the hours of darkness.
“We have to put road user’s safety first, and with more rain expected after a consistent period of wet weather this week we believe closure of the A83, as a safety precaution, during the hours of darkness to be the right approach due to limitations in being able to identify sudden changes in conditions on the hillside at night.
“Geotechnical specialists remain on site and are carefully monitoring the A83 and surrounding hillside and assessing the area.
“We’re doing everything we can to keep disruption to road users on the A83 to a minimum, and as ever we thank road users and the local community for their patience while we continue with this work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 22 October – 3.45PM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL TO CLOSE FOR SAFETY FROM 6PM DUE TO FURTHER RAIN FORECAST OVERNIGHT
• All traffic to be diverted via Old Military Road local diversion route from 6pm
• Monitoring of the hillside will continue overnight
• A83 will be inspected at first light with a view to reopening
• Mitigation work continues on hillside
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to be implemented for road users from 6pm this evening due to a further period of heavy rainfall expected in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
One lane of the A83 was reopened this morning under traffic signal control at around 8.45am, however the route will close from 6pm this evening as a safety precaution given the already saturated hillside at the Rest and Be Thankful. Vehicles will be convoyed along the Old Military Road local diversion, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, throughout the night.
An estimated 96mm of rain has already fallen at the Rest and Be Thankful since Sunday night.
Teams continue to monitor the hillside and conditions in the area with engineers continuing with mitigation work on the route.
A geotechnical assessment will be undertaken from first light tomorrow (Friday) to determine if the A83 can safely reopen.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “We’ve assessed the hillside and the forecast weather conditions for this evening, and have taken the decision to close the A83 overnight tonight as a safety precaution.
“It is difficult for us to monitor the hillside and any sudden changes in conditions during the hours of darkness, particularly after several days of heavy rain, so we’re continuing to put the safety of motorists first and will close the A83 as a precaution overnight and utilise the OMR local diversion instead.
“We’ll review the situation tomorrow morning and carry out further assessments from first light to determine if we can reopen the A83 as before during the daytime.
“Further heavy rain is forecast in the coming days and we’ll be closely monitoring the weather conditions and the hillside at the Rest.
“As ever we’ll do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum, and we thank all road users and the local community for their continued patience and understanding.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 22 October – 9.15AM
A83 REOPENS AT REST AND BE THANKFUL FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
• Route to remain under close observation due to further heavy rain forecast in coming days
• Local diversion via Old Military Road being kept on standby
• Mitigation work continues on hillside
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened under traffic light control at around 8.45am this morning following a safety inspection.
Heavy rain since Sunday night prompted the closure of the road as a safety precaution, with all traffic diverted via the Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, while teams carefully monitored the hillside. The standard diversion route was implemented early on Wednesday morning as a further precaution due to a blocked surface water channel above the OMR, however this was cleared and the OMR was able to re-open at 10.45am yesterday.
An early daylight inspection of the A83 and the hillside by geotechnical experts this morning enabled the road to be reopened.
Teams estimate around 96mm of rain has fallen in the area since Sunday night.
Further heavy rain is forecast in the coming days and teams will continue to carefully monitor the hillside and assess the route on a daily basis to determine whether it is safe to remain in operation.
The Old Military Road is being maintained in a state of readiness as a local diversion route should the A83 at the Rest be closed.
Engineers are continuing with mitigation work in the area including the installation of a debris pit, debris catch-fence and stabilisation work in the steep channel above the slope.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said; “The A83 reopened under traffic light control at around 8.45am this morning following a thorough safety assessment by our geotechnical team.
“Road user safety is a top priority and with more heavy rain forecast in the coming days we’re continuing to keep the use of the A83 under close review with geotechnical specialists on site carefully monitoring and assessing the hillside and conditions in the area.
“We’re leading on a safety-first approach with teams ready to mobilise use of the Old Military Road local diversion quickly to ensure road users can safely travel through Glen Croe should the A83 be closed as a precaution.
“We’ll endeavour to do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum. As ever we thank road users and the local community for their patience while we continue this work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 21 October – 3.45PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION TO REMAIN IN USE OVERNIGHT
• A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful remains closed as a safety precaution
• Geotechnical inspections and monitoring continues on hillside above A83
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to remain in use overnight tonight (Wednesday) as a safety precaution at the Rest and Be Thankful due to further rain forecast in the area.
The local diversion route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will remain in use overnight under convoy operation with teams carrying out a full safety assessment of the A83 tomorrow morning (Thursday) to consider if it is safe to reopen.
The OMR local diversion route was previously closed from midnight on Wednesday morning due to concerns about an overflowing channel on the slope above the route, but was reopened at around 10.45am this morning following repairs to the channel and a full safety inspection.
Geotechnical inspections are ongoing across the hillside above the A83 following the recent heavy rainfall at the Rest. Around 86mm of rain is thought to have fallen in the area in the past 48 hours, with further rain expected overnight.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re taking a safety-first approach and have made the decision to keep the Old Military Road in operation overnight as a precaution due to the continued heavy rainfall in the area.
“Our geotechnical team are closely monitoring conditions at the Rest and are in the process of carrying out assessments of the slopes and steep channels above the A83, and wider hillside, following the most recent period of heavy rain.
“We’ll keep the OMR under close review overnight tonight and carry out a further assessment of the A83 tomorrow morning.
“In the meantime we thank the local community and all road users for their continued patience and we’ll do everything we can to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 21 October – 12.15PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD REOPENED AT REST AND BE THANKFUL AFTER OVERNIGHT CLOSURE AS SAFETY PRECAUTION
• Local diversion route back in use following geotechnical assessment and safety inspection
• A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful remains closed as a safety precaution
• Further inspections continue on hillside above A83
The Old Military Road local diversion route has reopened to road users after being closed last night as a precautionary measure.
Traffic is now being convoyed through the single-track route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, after it reopened at around 10.45am. The standard diversion route via the A82, A85 and A819 was implemented from just after midnight but has since been stood down.
The Old Military Road was closed at around midnight last night after teams noted heavy volumes of water and silt were overflowing the banks of a watercourse channel on the lower slope between the A83 and the Old Military Road, prompting concerns it could impact the Old Military Road carriageway. Engineers have since completed a full geotechnical inspection of the slope below the A83 and carried out work to secure the channel, allowing the OMR local diversion route to reopen to traffic.
Given the volume of rainfall experienced in recent days, the A83 remains closed as a safety precaution while geotechnical inspections continue on the hillside.
An estimated 86mm of rain has fallen at the Rest and Be Thankful in the past 48 hours.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The Old Military Road local diversion route has reopened to traffic after it was closed around midnight last night as a safety precaution.
“Our team identified that one of the channels had experienced a build-up of silt and water after a period of heavy rain, which was causing it to spill across land above the OMR, prompting us to implement a closure for safety.
“The issue has been addressed this morning and the water flow redirected back into the channel as before, allowing us to reopen the OMR.
“We’re continuing with further geotechnical inspections on the hillside above the A83 and paying close attention to weather conditions in the area.
“Safety of all road users is a top priority and we thank all the local community and motorists for their patience while we do everything we can to address the situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 21 October – 9am
OLD MILITARY ROAD CLOSED AT REST AND BE THANKFUL DUE TO HEAVY WATER FLOWS IN CHANNEL ABOVE ROUTE
• Geotechnical inspection underway
• A83 Rest and Be Thankful remains closed as a safety precaution
• All traffic being diverted via A82, A85 and A819
The Old Military Road was closed at around midnight last night after teams noted heavy volumes of water and silt was overflowing from one of the channels above the local diversion route, prompting concerns it could impact the Old Military Road carriageway.
A full geotechnical inspection began at first light of the Old Military Road and the slope above the local diversion route (below the A83), to determine the extent of the heavy water flows and stability of the channel and surrounding slope.
A further update will be provided once the inspection has taken place.
Tuesday 20 October – 4pm
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN IN USE UNTIL WEDNESDAY MORNING
• Teams targeting reopening A83 under traffic light control mid-morning Wednesday subject to safety assessment
• Geotechnical specialists monitoring conditions on hillside
• Engineers continue with mitigation works
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful is to remain in use overnight tonight (Tuesday) with teams targeting reopening the A83 under traffic light control mid-morning on Wednesday following a safety assessment by geotechnical specialists at first light.
The local diversion route, which runs parallel to the A83, has been in use since Sunday evening due to heavy rainfall which prompted the closure of the A83 as a safety precaution.
Teams will remain on site to monitor conditions in the area once the A83 reopens, and engineers will also continue to progress with the installation of further mitigation measures on the hillside to provide further landslip resilience for the route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We closed the A83 on Sunday evening as a safety precaution due to forecast heavy rain and we’ve been paying close attention to the weather conditions in the area.
“The Old Military Road has been operating well and will remain in use overnight as a local diversion for road users. We’re expecting to reopen one lane of the A83 mid-morning tomorrow (Wednesday), subject to an early morning safety inspection by geotechnical specialists.
“Teams will remain onsite to monitor conditions overnight and we will continue to progress our mitigation work on the A83 following its reopening.
“As ever we thank the local community and road users for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 19 October – 4.30pm
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN IN USE AS LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE DUE TO HEAVY RAIN
• Met Office yellow warning for rain in place until Tuesday
• A83 remains closed at Rest and be Thankful as safety precaution due to heavy rain
• Teams continue to monitor hillside and mitigation work continues
The Old Military Road local diversion route at the Rest and Be Thankful is to remain in use overnight and throughout Tuesday due to forecast heavy rain in the area.
The local diversion route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, was implemented around 6pm yesterday evening with traffic being convoyed along the single-track road.
A Met Office yellow warning for heavy rain is currently in place until 9am tomorrow across the central belt and south west coast.
Heavy rain is forecast at the Rest and Be Thankful until early Wednesday morning.
Geotechnical specialists are on site monitoring the hillside and the impact of the weather conditions in the area. Engineers are continuing to implement further mitigation measures at the A83, which once complete will provide further landslip resilience to the route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Heavy rain has been falling throughout the day and with more rain forecast tomorrow we’ve taken the decision to keep the Old Military Road in use as a local diversion route through until Wednesday morning as a safety precaution.
“We’re paying close attention to the weather conditions in the area and our geotechnical specialists are carefully monitoring the hillside.
“The Old Military Road local diversion route is operating well, and teams will continue to do all they can to minimise disruption as much as possible.
“Safety of road users remains our top priority and as ever we thank road users and the local community for their continued patience.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Sunday 18 October – 11:40 AM
BEAR SCOTLAND TEAMS ON STANDBY FOR HEAVY RAIN
Met Office Yellow warning for rain across parts of country on Monday and Tuesday
A83 Rest and Be Thankful to close at 6pm on Sunday evening as a safety precaution
Old Military Road to resume operation as A83 local diversion route.
BEAR Scotland teams are on standby as heavy rain is forecast to impact the west coast of Scotland on Monday and Tuesday.
The Met Office has issued a Yellow warning for heavy rain across parts of the country from 03:00 on Monday to 09:00 on Tuesday.
As a safety precaution, the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful will close from 6pm this evening (Sunday), with all traffic diverted via the Old Military Road (OMR) which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe. This follows the recent landslips in the area and concerns from geotechnical engineers about the impact of such heavy rain on the scarred hillside. We will continue to keep the situation under review but the diversion to the OMR may remain in place over the course of Monday and Tuesday. The timing for re-opening of the A83 will be determined from the safety inspections to be conducted once the weather front has passed.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday indicates that heavy rainfall is expected, which could have an impact on the hillside situated above the A83.
“We continue to implement a safety-first approach and have taken the decision to close the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful from 6pm this evening with all traffic diverted via the Old Military Road through the glen. Our geotechnical team will monitor conditions throughout Monday and Tuesday with a view to reopening the A83 once the weather front has passed and following a thorough safety inspection.
“Our 24/7 control room team will also be monitoring conditions across the whole network to help coordinate resource where required and help keep motorists moving.
“We encourage all road users to plan ahead and check Traffic Scotland for the latest travel advice before setting out.”
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 9 October – 8.30AM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENED UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL FOLLOWING SAFETY ASSESSMENT
• Engineers continue with mitigation work in area
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened under traffic light control shortly after 7.30am this morning following a safety inspection.
The route was closed as a safety precaution overnight due to heavy rain in the area. All traffic was diverted via the Old Military Road local diversion route which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe.
Around 100 tonnes of slurry and run-off from the hillside gradually filled one of the catch pits due to the heavy rain. The catch-pit will be emptied by teams throughout the day. No material reached the A83 carriageway overnight.
Engineers are continuing with work on further landslip mitigation work in the area including a debris catch fence on the hillside and a larger catch pit.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Last night we closed the A83 overnight as a safety precaution as prolonged heavy rainfall showers were forecast in the area.
“We reopened the road shortly after 7.30am following a safety inspection by out geotechnical specialists and agreement with Police Scotland.
“Teams will continue with work to construct further mitigation measures in the area, as well as to empty one of the catch-pits which prevented around 100 tonnes of slurry and hillside run-off from reaching the road during last night’s heavy rain.
“As ever we thank all road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the situation at the Rest and Be Thankful.”
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 8 October – 4.30PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION TO BE USED OVERNIGHT AS HEAVY RAIN IS FORECAST AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
• A83 Rest and Be Thankful to close overnight from 6pm Thursday as a safety precaution due to forecast heavy rain
• Road expected to reopen under traffic light control on Friday morning
Road users at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful will be diverted to the Old Military Road local diversion route from 6pm tonight (Thursday) due to forecast heavy rain.
Prolonged heavy rainfall showers are forecast overnight in the Argyll area, with the decision taken to close the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful from 6pm as a safety precaution. All road users will be diverted to the OMR, a single track road which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, overnight on Thursday.
The A83 is expected to reopen on Friday morning under traffic light control following a safety inspection at first light.
Teams continue to construct further mitigation measures at the Rest and Be Thankful following two major landslips in August and September. These measures include work to stabilise the recently formed steep channel above the A83, construction of a debris fence and a catch pit.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Tonight’s forecast has indicated periods of intense heavy rainfall which could have the ability to impact on the hillside above the A83.
“We’re leading on a safety-first approach and therefore the A83 will close as a safety precaution from around 6pm with all traffic being diverted via the Old Military Road local diversion route overnight.
“We expect to reopen the road tomorrow morning after a safety inspection at first light. As ever we thank road users and the local community for their patience while we do everything we can to address the ongoing situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available at Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Friday 2 October – 4.45PM
BEAR SCOTLAND TEAMS ON STANDBY FOR HEAVY RAINFALL
• Amber warning for rain across north east Scotland on Saturday night
• Yellow warning for rain across north and east coasts throughout weekend
• A83 Rest and Be Thankful to close Saturday mid-afternoon as a safety precaution
• Old Military Road to resume operation as A83 local diversion route from Saturday mid-afternoon until Sunday afternoon
BEAR Scotland teams are on standby for heavy rain across much of Scotland this weekend as heavy rain and high winds are set to impact the country.
The Met Office has issued an Amber warning for heavy rain across parts of the north east of Scotland from 6pm on Saturday to 6am on Sunday morning. A Yellow warning is in force across the eastern area of the country as well as the northern coasts from 3am tomorrow morning until 12 noon on Sunday. As much as 60mm rain is expected to fall in parts of the north east with localised gusts of between 40 and 50mph forecast as a result of the storm over the weekend.
The decision has been taken to close the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful and redirect traffic to the Old Military Road (OMR) from mid-afternoon on Saturday, with teams expecting to reopen the A83 on Sunday afternoon once the rain passes. This follows the recent landslips in the area and concerns from geotechnical engineers about the impact of such heavy rain on the scarred hillside. The timing of the use of the OMR, a single lane road which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, will depend on actual weather experienced on site and will be kept to a minimum as much as possible.
BEAR Scotland incident response teams will be on high alert to deal with any issues brought in by Storm Alex across trunk roads in the north east and north west of Scotland. Landslide patrols are being deployed across trunk roads in the north west to provide additional response and monitoring of conditions on the ground. All response teams have pumps to deal with any excess water with four gully tankers also available to help clear any larger incidents of flooding on the network. Landscaping teams are on standby and equipped with chainsaws to help remove any fallen trees.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “This weekend sees various severe weather warnings in place across large areas of Scotland, with heavy rain and high winds expected to have an impact across most of the country. Our teams in both the north east and north west areas are on standby to deal with any incident which impacts the networks we maintain.
“With heavy rain forecast in the Argyll area we’ve taken the decision to close the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful from Saturday mid-afternoon and divert traffic via the OMR as a safety precaution, with a view to reopening the road on Sunday afternoon once the storm passes.
“We’re leading with a safety-first approach and the advice from our geotechnical team is that this weekend’s weather could have an impact on the steep channels on the hillside, and we’ll be closely monitoring conditions in the area throughout the weekend.
“We’re expecting to reopen the A83 under traffic light control on Sunday afternoon following a safety inspection once the storm has passed.
“We have arranged for patrols of the network to be completed at affected areas through the warning period and we also have our incident response teams available to deal with any flooding issues across trunk roads in the north, as well as gully tankers and pumps on standby to help ensure trunk roads are kept clear.
“Our 24/7 control room team will also be monitoring conditions across the whole network to help coordinate resource where required and help keep motorists moving.
“We encourage all road users to plan ahead and check Traffic Scotland for the latest travel advice before setting out.”
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 1 October – 9.35AM
A83 REOPENS AT REST AND BE THANKFUL FOLLOWING SAFETY INSPECTION
• Mitigation work continues on hillside
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful has reopened under traffic light control at around 7.45AM after it was closed as a safety precaution yesterday morning.
Heavy rain in the area on Wednesday prompted teams to divert all traffic via the Old Military Road local diversion route, which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, as a safety precaution while teams carefully monitored the hillside above the road.
The road and hillside were carefully inspected this morning and the A83 was reopened following the green light from geotechnical experts.
Mitigation work continues on the hillside and recently formed steep channel above the A83 to create further landslip resilience for the route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said; “The A83 reopened under traffic light control this morning following a thorough safety assessment by our geotechnical team.
“Safety of all road users is our top priority, and we closed the road yesterday morning as a safety precaution.
“We’ll continue to closely monitor weather conditions and gather feedback from the geotechnical team on the hillside. Our teams are continuing with the development of further mitigation work which will provide additional landslip resilience for the A83.
“As ever we thank road users and the local community for their patience while we continue this work at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available form Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 30 September – 6.00PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN IN USE OVERNIGHT DUE TO CONTINUED HEAVY RAIN
• Teams target mid-morning reopening of A83 on Thursday
• Geotechnical specialists continue to monitor conditions
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to remain in use overnight as a safety precaution due to continued heavy rain in the area.
The OMR local diversion route, a private single-track road which runs parallel to the A83 through Glen Croe, was implemented at around 8am this morning (Wednesday) with traffic being convoyed through the area.
Heavy rain has been experienced throughout the day and geotechnical specialists remain on site monitoring conditions on the hillside above the A83.
The A83 carriageway is expected to reopen tomorrow (Thursday) mid-morning under traffic light control following a full safety assessment in the area.
Teams are continuing to carry out mitigation work on the hillside to provide further protection for the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been closely monitoring the weather forecast as well as conditions on site throughout the day and we’ve taken the decision to keep the Old Military Road in use overnight for road users as a safety precaution.
“Conditions are set to improve overnight so we’re targeting reopening the A83 under traffic light control mid-morning tomorrow following a full safety and geotechnical inspection.
“We need to ensure safety of road users is prioritised at all times, and as ever we appreciate and thank the local community and all road users for their patience. Argyll remains for business and we’ll continue to do everything we can to keep any disruption to a minimum.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 30 September – 9.15am
OLD MILITARY ROAD IN USE AS LOCAL DIVERSION FOR MOTORISTS DUE TO FORECAST HEAVY RAIN
• A83 closed at Rest and Be Thankful as a safety precaution
• Geotechnical specialists on site monitoring conditions
The Old Military Road at the Rest and Be Thankful has been activated as a local diversion route for road users as a safety precaution due to heavy rainfall in the area.
Sustained heavy rain is forecast throughout the day and geotechnical specialists are on site monitoring conditions on the hillside and in the area.
Engineers are continuing to work on further mitigation measures on the hillside following two major landslips in recent months.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Heavy rain has been impacting the area since early morning and with more forecast throughout the day we’ve taken the decision to divert all road users via the Old Military Road local diversion route as a precaution.
“Our geotechnical experts have advised that the rain could have an impact on the hillside so we’ve taken a safety-first approach and our teams will continue to carefully monitor the area throughout the day.
“Safety of road users remains our top priority and we’ll do everything we can to ensure any disruption is minimised as much 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.
Wednesday 23 September – 9.00AM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL REOPENS UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL AFTER LANDSLIP REPAIR WORK COMPLETE
• Engineers continue with further mitigation work in area
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful reopened under traffic light control this morning at around 7.35am after a series of repairs and clear-up operations were completed following a landslide on Sunday 13 September.
The road was inspected by Police Scotland and geotechnical specialists for a final safety check before reopening one lane to road users.
Engineers will continue to carry out further mitigation work in the area.
Teams worked round the clock since the landslip occurred earlier in September to complete a series of repairs and clear-up operations.
Around 2,000 tonnes of material reached the A83 following a period of intense heavy rainfall early morning on Sunday 13 September.
The A83 and Old Military Road had already been closed as a precaution on Saturday evening with all traffic being diverted overnight.
As the weather continued further debris continued to reach the road, with a total of 5,000 tonnes of material thought to have moved as a result of the landslip. Teams began clear-up operations on Monday 14 September which involved clearing the debris and boulders from the road, carrying out repairs to an undermined section of road and the reinstatement of a large debris catch fence and roadside safety barrier.
Traffic was diverted via the Old Military Road from Tuesday 15 September until the road reopened this morning.
The landslip in September occurred at the same location as an earlier landslip which happened on 4 August. The A83 was closed while teams completed a series of complex repairs to the carriageway, embankment and steep channel above the road before the route reopened just under five weeks later.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The A83 reopened under traffic light control shortly after 7.35am following a final safety inspection with representatives from Police Scotland and our geotechnical team.
“Teams are continuing with mitigation work in the area to provide further landslip resilience to the route. We’re also continuing with work on the next phase of catch-pit installation on the A83 which will add further landslip mitigation in the area.
“Teams have worked round the clock to reopen the A83 as quickly as possible, and we thank the local community and motorists for their support and patience while we did everything we could to address the most recent landslip at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new 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 10,000 tonnes of debris on the hillside following detailed geotechnical calculations of the hillside, making it one of the largest landslips in recent times. Earlier estimates put the original figure at 6,000 tonnes.
• 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 began 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.
• Weather Warnings for heavy rain overnight on Monday 10 August, Tuesday 11 August and Wednesday 12 August meant the OMR closed overnight from 9pm, with motorists diverted via the usual standard diversion route on the A83, A82, A85 and A819.
• A period of dry weather meant the OMR was in use 24 hours a day from Thursday 13 August while teams continued with repairs to the A83.
• Designs to repair the A83 were completed and work started on stabilising the embankment beneath the carriageway. To view a simulation of the repairs visit BEAR Scotland’s North West twitter page: https://twitter.com/NWTrunkRoads/status/1293910456235483142
• On Tuesday 18 August a Yellow Met Office weather warning for heavy rain meant the OMR was closed for safety from 12 noon until 6am on Thursday 19 August. More heavy rain forecast overnight on Wednesday 19 August meant the OMR closed overnight between 9pm and 6am.
• Increasingly heavy rain on Thursday 20 August meant the OMR closed from 7.25pm until around midday on Friday 21 August. The route was in operation until midnight when it closed for safety due to forecast heavy rain overnight.
• On Saturday 22 August the OMR opened around 8.30am but closed shortly after at around 10.30am due to movement of debris and boulders on hillside.
• On Sunday 23 August work was undertaken to stabilise boulders on the hillside which allowed the Old Military Road to reopen at around 6pm.
• The Old Military Road continued to be in use 24/7 and with teams working round the clock to complete the programme of repairs on the A83.
• The A83 reopened under traffic light control at around 10.25am on Monday 7 September.
• The A83 and OMR were closed on Saturday 12 September due to forecast intense rain. This triggered another landslide which brought over 2,000 tonnes of material to the A83 with some reaching the OMR. The debris flows continued throughout Sunday making it difficult to assess the area or begin clear-up operations.
• Teams began clearing up the second landslip on Monday 14 September.
• A total of 5,000 tonnes of material is thought to have reached the A83 and OMR from the second landslip.
• The OMR local diversion route reopened at 6.10am Tuesday 15 September.
• The local diversion route was closed overnight Tuesday 15 September before reopening at 7.25am Wednesday morning and has since remained operational 24 hours a day.
• Repairs were completed on Wednesday morning with the A83 reopened under traffic light control around 7.35am. Teams are continuing to carry out further mitigation work in the area.
Tuesday 22 September – 2.45PM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL ON TRACK TO REOPEN UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL MID-MORNING TOMORROW SUBJECT TO WEATHER CONDITIONS
• Repair work nearing completion at Rest and Be Thankful
• Old Military Road to remain open as local diversion route overnight
Teams working to repair the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful are on track to reopen the road under traffic light control mid-morning tomorrow (Wednesday), subject to weather conditions in the area.
A safety review will take place tomorrow morning to assess if it is safe to reopen one lane of the A83 following a second major landslip in the area on Sunday 13 August. Teams will continue with work to complete further mitigation measures in the area once the road reopens.
Engineers have been working round the clock to complete a series of repairs and clear the material and debris from the road following the landslide. Today teams are working to re-erect the debris fencing next to the carriageway and clearing the remaining silt and material from the road ahead of the route reopening tomorrow.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re on track to safely reopen the road mid-morning tomorrow under traffic light control however we’ll continue to pay close attention to weather conditions.
“The Old Military Road will continue to be used as a local diversion route overnight until the road can be safely reopened following an inspection by our teams and Police Scotland.
“As ever we thank the local community and road users for their patience while we do everything we can to reopen the A83 quickly and safely. Argyll remains open for business and we’re working round the clock to address the situation at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 21 September – 4.45PM
A83 SET TO REOPEN UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL ON WEDNESDAY WEATHER PERMITTING
• Repairs continue on A83
• Old Military Road to remain open overnight
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful is expected to reopen under traffic light control on Wednesday subject to weather conditions in the area.
Engineers are continuing to work 24/7 to repair the A83 following a major landslide earlier this month.
Today (Monday) teams have been progressing with work to reinstate the road safety barrier along the edge of the A83 and re-erect the temporary debris fence next to the steep channel above the road.
The Old Military Road will remain open as a local diversion route overnight for road users.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Repairs are progressing well and we’re expecting to reopen the A83 under traffic light control at some point on Wednesday although this will depend on progress on Tuesday when a period of heavy rain is forecast.
“Over the weekend engineers have worked to reinstate the road safety barrier and reinstall the debris catch-fence which is anchored along the A83 to provided additional resilience and protect road users.
“The OMR has been operating well as a local diversion route for road users over the last week and will continue to be in use overnight.
“Argyll remains very much open for business and as ever we thank road users and the local community for their continued patience while we do everything we can to address the most recent landslip at the Rest and reopen the road safely.”
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 18 September – 3.30PM
REPAIR WORK CONTINUES AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
Old Military Road to remain open Friday night
Engineers at the Rest and Be Thankful are progressing with repair work to the A83 carriageway after it was damaged by a major landslip on Sunday morning.
Clear up operations and drain cleaning have continued today in preparation for the installation of a catch fence and vehicle restraint systems over the weekend.
The Old Military Road local diversion route remains open for road users and will be in operation overnight tonight (Friday). Teams are continuing to closely monitor weather conditions which will be reviewed on a daily basis to assess if it is safe to keep the OMR in operation.
Engineers will continue to work round the clock to complete the repairs to the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Today teams are continuing to clear debris and boulders and cleaning the road surface to allow access to erect barriers over the weekend.
“The Old Military Road has been operating well the past couple of days and will continue to be in use overnight tonight (Friday). We’ll continue to assess the route on a daily basis to determine if it safe to remain in use for road users.
“Our teams will continue to work 24 hours a day to complete the repairs at the Rest. As ever we thank the local community and all road users for their patience while we complete this programme of repairs. Argyll remains open for business and we’ll continue to do everything we can to get the road open as quickly and safely as we can.”
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 17 September – 3:30PM
CLEARANCE WORK CONTINUES AT REST AND BE THANKFUL FOLLOWING LANDSLIDE
Old Military Road to remain in use overnight on Thursday
The repair of damage to the A83 caused by a large landslip on Sunday morning is continuing today with good progress being made with clear up operations.
A short section of embankment supporting the road was eroded due to large volumes of water and debris washing over the edge of the road. Engineers have designed a repair and that is being implemented by the teams on site today (Thursday) and tomorrow.
Now that much of the debris has been removed a clearer view of all the work required to reopen the road is now possible. Teams plan on undertaking the repairs 24 hours a day to reopen the road as quickly as possible. Early indications are that the work to reopen should be completed around the middle of next week, subject to weather conditions.
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to remain in use overnight tonight (Thursday 17 September). The route will be reviewed on a daily basis paying close attention to the weather forecast to see if it will remain safe to reopen overnight. Strict safety protocols are in place which allow teams to continue to keep the diversion route in operation throughout the night.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Teams are making good progress on site with clear up and repair works which has enabled further assessments to be carried out to determine the extent of the damage caused by the recent landslip.
“Initial assessments indicate that the work should be completed around the middle of next week, depending on weather and other developments.
“The Old Military Road will remain in use tonight, however we’ll be continually assessing and monitoring the hillside along with our geotechnical specialists to determine if it is safe for us to continue to keep the OMR in operation.
“We thank the local community and road users for their patience while we address the landslip at the Rest. Argyll remains open for business and our teams will continue to work around the clock to reopen the A83 as quickly and safely as we can.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 16 September – 3PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN IN USE OVERNIGHT
Teams progressing with clear up operations on the A83
Investigations underway to assess damage to the carriageway
Good progress has been made with the clearance of material and boulders from the carriageway following the landslide on Sunday 13 September at the A83 Rest and be Thankful.
The Old Military Road local diversion route opened at 7:25am this morning and is currently planned to remain open overnight tonight (Wednesday).
The diversion route will be reviewed on a daily basis with teams closely monitoring conditions. Strict safety protocols are in place which allow the operation of the diversion route overnight.
As a safety precaution the A83 was closed on Saturday afternoon due to forecast heavy rain in the area. A significant landslip then occurred early Sunday morning and continued until Monday. Over 5,000 tonnes of material reached the A83 main carriageway and the bunding on the OMR.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “With drier weather expected overnight we’re intending to keep the Old Military Road open into this evening and overnight however teams will be closely monitoring conditions in the area.
“We are making good progress with the clear up operations on the A83, moving rock and debris to a local tip and making use of boulders in the repair work.
“We have teams working 24/7 to enable us to reopen the route as soon as possible.
“Argyll remains open for business and we thank the local community and road users for their patience as we do everything we can to address the landslip.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 16 September – 7:30am
OLD MILITARY ROAD REOPENS FOLLOWING THE GREEN LIGHT FROM SAFETY INSPECTIONS
The Old Military Road reopened this morning around 7:25am following successful green light from safety checks. Teams are continuing with work to clear material and boulders from the A83 main carriageway.
An assessment will be made at 1pm regarding the potential of keeping the OMR open overnight and an announcement made.
Tuesday 15 September – 3:25PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT AT 7.30PM AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION
OMR Local diversion route has been in operation today but will close overnight as a precaution
The local diversion route is expected to reopen tomorrow (Wednesday) morning following a safety assessment
Diversion route via A83, A82, A85 and A819 will be implemented overnight from 7.30pm
Work continues to progress with the clearance of debris from the main A83 carriageway following the landslide on Sunday 13 September. After initial review it is now estimated that over 5,000 tonnes of material reached the A83 and Old Military Road bund.
The route reopened via the Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion this morning and has been in operation throughout today following the completion of the clear up of material in that location overnight.
As a safety precaution, the Old Military Road is to be closed overnight tonight (Tuesday 15 September) from 7.30pm due to conditions on the hillside above the A83.
Teams have closely monitored the hillside today following rain and consider this to be the prudent approach.
All traffic will be diverted from 7.30pm on to the standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819.
Safety assessments will take place from 7am tomorrow morning to determine if it is safe to reopen the OMR local diversion route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Safety is our top priority and following input from geotechnical specialists we have taken the difficult decision
to close the Old Military Road as a precaution overnight tonight.
“The standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819 will be reinstated from 7.30pm tonight. A full safety assessment will take place at 7am on Wednesday morning to assess if it is safe to reopen the Old Military Road.
“The clear up operation is progressing well which is allowing us to gauge the damage caused to the road, drainage and safety barriers. We will continue to give updates on this work as it progresses as quickly as possible.
“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.
Tuesday 15 September – 6.10am
OLD MILITARY ROAD REOPENED AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
The Old Military Road local diversion route has reopened this morning at 6.10am following the completion of the clear up of material overnight and a safety review this morning. Teams will continue with the clear up operation on the A83 today.
Monday 14 September – 12:00 Mid-day
A83 AND OLD MILITARY ROAD REMAINS CLOSED FOLLOWING SECOND LANDSLIDE AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
Over 2,000 Tonnes of material has closed the A83
Clearance works ongoing
The A83 and the Old Military Road (OMR) local diversion will remain closed today and overnight into Tuesday 15 September following a landslide event which commenced early on Sunday morning and continued through to Monday morning. Clearance of the debris has now started after the go-ahead from geotechnical engineers.
As well as over 2,000 Tonnes of material on the A83, further material has also reached the bunding previously formed to protect the Old Military Road with some boulders and material reaching the OMR itself.
Initial indications are that the wall constructed to support the A83 following the landslide on the Tuesday 4 August has performed well and is relatively undamaged.
These clearance works will continue throughout the day, particularly the removal of boulders and slurry which still have the potential to impact the OMR. A further review will be undertaken on Tuesday morning when a clearer indication will be given as to the reopening of the OMR and the A83.
In the meantime, traffic is diverted via the A82, A85 and A819. To assist, Western Ferries are providing an extra ferry on the Gourock to Dunoon route.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “With exceptionally heavy rain forecast on Saturday night and Sunday morning we took the decision to proactively close the A83 and OMR on safety grounds. Around 75mm of rain fell in a few hours in the early hours of Sunday which triggered another significant landslide at the same location as the event on the Tuesday 4 August. Much of this was caught in the temporary debris fence and debris pits however as the landslide event continued throughout Sunday those measures were overtopped onto the A83 with some reaching the OMR. In drier conditions today we have started the clear up operation which will continue throughout today. Tomorrow morning (Tuesday 15 September) we will review progress and advise on the potential for reopening the Old Military Road local diversion and also have a clearer view of the work required to reopen the A83.
“As ever, we thank the local community for their patience while we deal with this unprecedented situation. Argyll, of course, remains open for business via the diversion route and via the extended Dunoon to Gourock ferry services.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland and the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Sunday 13 September – 2PM
A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL AND OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN CLOSED OVERNIGHT SUNDAY
A significant landslide has blocked the A83 at Rest and be Thankful
The on-going nature of this means the Old Military Road local diversion also remains closed.
Traffic diversion will remain via A82, A85 and A819
Western Ferries are running an extra service tonight and Monday morning
The A83 Rest and be Thankful and Old Military Road (OMR) will both remain closed overnight on Sunday [13 Sept] following a significant landslide early on Sunday morning. The A83 and OMR were both closed overnight due to concern at the forecast of up to 90mmof intense rain on high ground in Argyll. At 7am on Sunday, a safety inspection noted that over 1,000 Tonnes of material had come down the hillside at the same location as the August 4thlandslip. Much of this was retained in the temporary mitigation measures including a pit and rockfall barrier. However, heavy rain and further slippages have continued throughout the day and is expected to continue into the early evening when the rain passes. This has precluded the undertaking a full geotechnical safety assessment, looking at the dangers of potential further slippage and boulder risk.
The A83 and OMR will therefore remain closed overnight and a further safety review will be undertaken on Monday morning. In the meantime, traffic will be diverted onto the A82, A85, A819 diversion route.
BEAR Scotland has been communicating with Western Ferries and they will have an extra ferry running on Sunday night and Monday morning.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “This is another major landslide event and the on-going nature of it and the continued heavy rain has meant we are unable to conclude a full safety assessment. In discussion with Transport Scotland and Police Scotland a decision has been taken to keep the A83 Rest and Be Thankful and the Old Military Road closed overnight, with traffic diverted to the longer diversion via the A82, A85 and A819. We appreciate the frustration and disruption this causes, however, given the nature of this event, a safety-first approach is required.
BEAR SCOTLAND TEAMS ON STANDBY FOR HEAVY RAINFALL THIS WEEKEND – A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT
Yellow weather warning for rain over Argyll and West Highland area
Up to 90mm rain expected overnight on Saturday evening to midnight on Sunday
A83 Rest and Be Thankful to close overnight on Saturday as a safety precaution
Old Military Road to resume operation as A83 local diversion route from Saturday afternoon 4pm to 9pm
BEAR Scotland teams are on standby for heavy rain across the north west of Scotland this weekend with up to 90mm of rain now forecast across some areas of the network.
A Met Office yellow weather warning for heavy rain is in force from 6pm Saturday to midnight on Sunday and teams are on high alert to respond to any incidents. Strong winds are also expected across the network with localised gusts of between 40-50mph forecast with landscaping teams on standby to assist with any fallen trees.
The decision has been taken to close the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful at 4pm Saturday. From 4pm until 9pm on Saturday traffic will be transferred to the Old Military Road (OMR) local Diversion. The OMR will then be closed from 9pm Saturday and a safety inspection will be undertaken at 7am on Sunday with a view to reopening the OMR if considered safe to do so. The A83 is hoped to be reopened in the early afternoon on Sunday once the rain has passed.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The yellow warning for heavy rain and high wind is expected to have an impact on the north west trunk road network, and our teams are on standby to deal with any issues that may occur from the heavy rain and strong winds.
“Due to the heavy rain we’ve also taken the difficult decision to close the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful at 4pm Saturday as a safety precaution following the recent landslide. From 4pm to 9pm the Old Military Road local diversion route will be utilised. During the most intense period of rain from 9pm Saturday the OMR will close, with traffic diverted to the longer diversion via the A82, A85 and A819.
“The advice from our geotechnical experts is that the heavy rain, which is now anticipated to be heavier and more intense than forecast yesterday, could have an impact on the material in the steep channel above the road. This is the first significant rain event since the landslide in August so we are taking a safety-first approach and will carefully monitor the hillside during the weather event.
“We’ll review the situation at 7am on Sunday with a view to reopening the OMR and, all being well, we are expecting to reopen the A83 under traffic light control on Sunday afternoon once the rain has passed.
“We have arranged for patrols of the network to be completed at affected areas through the warning period and we also have our incident response teams available to deal with any flooding issues across the north west network, as well as gully tankers and pumps on standby to help ensure trunk roads are kept clear.
“Our 24/7 control room team will also be monitoring conditions across the network to help coordinate resource where required and help keep motorists moving.
“We encourage all road users to plan ahead and check Traffic Scotland for the latest travel advice before setting out.”
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 11 September, 3.15pm
BEAR SCOTLAND TEAMS ON STANDBY FOR HEAVY RAINFALL THIS WEEKEND
• Yellow weather warning for rain over Argyll and West Highland area
• Around 60mm rain expected overnight on Saturday evening to midnight on Sunday
• A83 Rest and Be Thankful to close overnight on Saturday as a safety precaution
• Old Military Road to resume operation as A83 local diversion route from Saturday evening until Sunday afternoon
BEAR Scotland teams are on standby for heavy rain across the north west of Scotland this weekend as around 60mm to 70mm of rain is forecast across some areas of the network.
A Met Office yellow weather warning for heavy rain is in force from 6pm Saturday to midnight on Sunday and teams are on high alert to respond to any incidents. Strong winds are also expected across the network with localised gusts of between 40-50mph forecast with landscaping teams on standby to assist with any fallen trees.
The decision has been taken to close the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful and redirect traffic to the Old Military Road (OMR) from early evening on Saturday, with teams expecting to reopen the A83 on Sunday afternoon once the rain passes. This follows the recent landslide and concerns from geotechnical engineers about the impact of such heavy rain on the scarred hillside. This will follow on from relatively wet conditions today (Friday) and into tomorrow. The timing of the use of the OMR will depend on actual weather experienced on site and will be kept to a minimum as much as possible.
BEAR Scotland incident response teams are on standby throughout the north west to respond to any issues on the trunk road network. Landslide patrols are being deployed across routes to provide additional response and monitoring of conditions on the ground. All response teams have pumps to deal with any excess water with two gully tankers also available to help clear any larger incidents of flooding on the network.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Tomorrow’s yellow warning for heavy rain and high wind is expected to have an impact on the north west trunk road network, and our teams are on standby to deal with any issues that may occur from the heavy rain and strong winds.
“Due to the heavy rain we’ve also taken the difficult decision to close the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful as a safety precaution and redirect road users via the adjacent Old Military Road local diversion route from early evening tomorrow until the rain passes on Sunday afternoon.
“The advice from our geotechnical experts is that the heavy rain could have an impact on the material in the steep channel above the road. This is the first significant rain event since the landslide in August so we are taking a safety-first approach and will carefully monitor the hillside during the weather event.
“We’re expecting to reopen the A83 under traffic light control as before on Sunday afternoon once the rain has passed.
“We have arranged for patrols of the network to be completed at affected areas through the warning period and we also have our incident response teams available to deal with any flooding issues across the north west network, as well as gully tankers and pumps on standby to help ensure trunk roads are kept clear.
“Our 24/7 control room team will also be monitoring conditions across the network to help coordinate resource where required and help keep motorists moving.
“We encourage all road users to plan ahead and check Traffic Scotland for the latest travel advice before setting out.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 7 September, 10.30AM
A83 REOPENS AT REST AND BE THANKFUL UNDER TRAFFIC LIGHT CONTROL AFTER MAJOR REPAIR OPERATION COMPLETED
• Teams continue with mitigation work on hillside
• Next catch-pit project underway
The A83 has reopened under traffic light control after a major programme of complex repairs was completed this morning.
The route was inspected by Police Scotland and geotechnical specialists for a final safety check before reopening at around 10.25am today.
Temporary traffic lights will remain in place for safety as engineers are continuing with work to construct further mitigation measures.
A temporary debris barrier has been erected to protect road users and a catch-pit is being excavated at the foot of the channel to provide further resilience on the route. Work is already underway at the next location for another catch-pit which is located immediately adjacent to the recently completed catch-pits in July 2019.
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful was closed on the evening of Tuesday 4 August after a major landslip impacted the road at multiple locations after around 100mm of rain fell in the 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. Around 2,000 tonnes of debris was prevented from reaching the carriageway after it was contained in one of the catch-pits, with around 1,500 tonnes impacting the A83 and a further 2,000 tonnes of material washing onto the Old Military Road. In total, around 10,000 tonnes of material was thought to have moved on the hillside during the landslip.
Large boulders were also exposed on the hillside during the landslip, with a helicopter brought in to help stabilise the boulders and make them safe.
Clear-up operations started immediately with teams safely enabling the use of the Old Military Road as a local diversion route from Saturday 7 August. The route continued to be used as a diversion route when weather conditions allowed while teams progressed with the repair work.
The A83 carriageway, hillside above and embankment below the road were severely impacted by the flow of debris and water during the landslip, requiring extensive complex repairs. Repairs included constructing a new culvert beneath the road as well as installing a new concrete retaining wall which was anchored to the ground using multiple eight-metre-long rods to stabilise the road.
Work was also carried out to stabilise and secure the hillside above the carriageway. A new road safety barrier and roadside drainage system was also installed on the road with the carriageway then resurfaced to allow vehicles to safety pass.
A team of around 50 personnel worked 24/7 to complete the programme of repairs, keep the Old Military Road running safely and manage the traffic on the A83 to keep Argyll open.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re pleased to safely reopen one lane of the A83 after a full safety assessment with representatives from Police Scotland this morning.
“Teams from multiple organisations have worked round the clock in all conditions to complete the programme of complex repairs in the area and keep the Old Military Road and other routes into Argyll open.
“Engineers will continue to carry out further mitigation work on the hillside above the road as well as at the next catch-pit location to provide further landslip resilience on the A83.
“As ever, we thank the local community for their patience and support while we worked to address the repairs at the Rest and encourage them to drive safely through the Rest and Be Thankful as teams complete the remaining mitigation work at the site.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland and the new 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 10,000 tonnes of debris on the hillside following detailed geotechnical calculations of the hillside, making it one of the largest landslips in recent times. Earlier estimates put the original figure at 6,000 tonnes.
• 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 began 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.
• Weather Warnings for heavy rain overnight on Monday 10 August, Tuesday 11 August and Wednesday 12 August meant the OMR closed overnight from 9pm, with motorists diverted via the usual standard diversion route on the A83, A82, A85 and A819.
• A period of dry weather meant the OMR was in use 24 hours a day from Thursday 13 August while teams continued with repairs to the A83.
• Designs to repair the A83 are complete and work started on stabilising the embankment beneath the carriageway. To view a simulation of the repairs visit BEAR Scotland’s North West twitter page: https://twitter.com/NWTrunkRoads/status/1293910456235483142
• On Tuesday 18 August a Yellow Met Office weather warning for heavy rain meant the OMR was closed for safety from 12 noon until 6am on Thursday 19 August. More heavy rain forecast overnight on Wednesday 19 August meant the OMR closed overnight between 9pm and 6am.
• Increasingly heavy rain on Thursday 20 August meant the OMR closed from 7.25pm until around midday on Friday 21 August. The route was in operation until midnight when it closed for safety due to forecast heavy rain overnight.
• On Saturday 22 August the OMR opened around 8.30am but closed shortly after at around 10.30am due to movement of debris and boulders on hillside.
• On Sunday 23 August work was undertaken to stabilise boulders on the hillside which allowed the Old Military Road to reopen at around 6pm.
• The Old Military Road continued to be in use 24/7 and with teams working round the clock to complete the programme of repairs on the A83.
• The A83 reopened under traffic light control at around 10.25am on Monday 7 September. Teams are continuing to carry out further mitigation work in the area.
Friday 4 September – 4.45PM
REPAIRS CONTINUE ON A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL AS ENGINEERS TARGET MONDAY REOPENING
• One lane of A83 expected to reopen on Monday should weather conditions allow
• Old Military Road to remain open overnight on Friday as local diversion route
The complex repairs on the A83 to stabilise the road and embankment after a major landslip in August are progressing well with engineers working towards reopening one lane of the A83 on Monday.
Repair work has included creating a concrete retaining wall to stabilise the roadside after it was undermined, building up and securing a the embankment using large soil nails, installing a new culvert beneath the road and installing a new road surface.
Teams are working to complete the new roadside drainage system and install the new road safety barrier as well as continue with work on the upslope of the A83 to install further mitigation work to protect the carriageway once it reopens.
The Old Military Road is functioning as a local diversion route with road users being convoyed through the single-track road through the centre of the glen. The route will remain open as a diversion overnight.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Our teams are continuing with the repairs on the A83 following last month’s landslide, working round the clock to complete the work.
“We’re expecting to reopen one lane of the A83 under traffic light control on Monday, weather permitting.
“Teams will continue work on the A83 once the road reopens with further mitigation measures being installed at the bottom of the steep channel next to the road-side to create further protection for the A83. Work has also begun at the next permanent catch-pit further along the A83. Together these measures will help contribute to additional resilience on the A83.
“In the meantime the Old Military Road will remain open as a local diversion route for road users overnight on Friday.
“Argyll remains open for business and as ever we thank the local community for their patience while we do everything possible to reopen the A83 as safely and quickly as we can.”
Real time journey information si available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile app my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 3 September – 4.00PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CONTINUE AS LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE OVERNIGHT AS TEAMS PROGRESS WITH REPAIR WORK ON A83
The Old Military Road will remain in operation as a local diversion route overnight on Thursday with engineers working to stabilise and clear the A83 ahead of reopening early next week.
Teams have been working to carry out further stability and mitigation work to the upslope of the A83 on the steep channel which was formed by a major landslip in August. Additional work is also being carried out on the carriageway to improve the roadside drainage.
The repairs are progressing well with teams on track to reopen the road under traffic light control on Monday pending favourable weather conditions. Teams will continue to work in the area once the A83 has opened to progress with installation of a catch-pit at the bottom of the steep channel as well as begin installation of the next catch-pit further along the A83.
Teams on site from BEAR Scotland have also expressed thanks to a number of local road users who have stopped to provide kind donations of cakes and treats in recent weeks.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The Old Military Road will remain open overnight tonight and is operating well as a local diversion route for road users.
“We’re on track to reopen one lane of the A83 on Monday and teams are progressing with repairs 24-hours a day to complete the work as planned, provided the weather conditions continue to remain favourable.
“We also want to express our thanks to a number of road users recently for their generous acts of kindness to our teams on site. The teams were delighted to receive cakes and other treats from some members of the local community and these kind gestures were very much appreciated by all.
“As ever, we thank the local community and road users for their continued patience while we do everything we can to reopen the A83 safely. Argyll remains open for business and we’ll continue to work 24/7 to address the incident at the Rest.”
Real-time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland and the new 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 10,000 tonnes of debris on the hillside following detailed geotechnical calculations of the hillside, making it one of the largest landslips in recent times. Earlier estimates put the original figure at 6,000 tonnes.
• 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 began 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.
• Weather Warnings for heavy rain overnight on Monday 10 August, Tuesday 11 August and Wednesday 12 August meant the OMR closed overnight from 9pm, with motorists diverted via the usual standard diversion route on the A83, A82, A85 and A819.
• A period of dry weather meant the OMR was in use 24 hours a day from Thursday 13 August while teams continued with repairs to the A83.
• Designs to repair the A83 are complete and work started on stabilising the embankment beneath the carriageway. To view a simulation of the repairs visit BEAR Scotland’s North West twitter page: https://twitter.com/NWTrunkRoads/status/1293910456235483142
• On Tuesday 18 August a Yellow Met Office weather warning for heavy rain meant the OMR was closed for safety from 12 noon until 6am on Thursday 19 August. More heavy rain forecast overnight on Wednesday 19 August meant the OMR closed overnight between 9pm and 6am.
• Increasingly heavy rain on Thursday 20 August meant the OMR closed from 7.25pm until around midday on Friday 21 August. The route was in operation until midnight when it closed for safety due to forecast heavy rain overnight.
• On Saturday 22 August the OMR opened around 8.30am but closed shortly after at around 10.30am due to movement of debris and boulders on hillside.
• On Sunday 23 August work was undertaken to stabilise boulders on the hillside which allowed the Old Military Road to reopen at around 6pm.
• The Old Military Road has since been in use 24/7 and teams have since been working round the clock to complete the programme of repairs on the A83.
Wednesday 2 September – 4.10PM
COMPLEX REPAIRS ONGOING AT A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL
• Old Military Road remains in use with teams closely monitoring weather conditions
Complex repairs at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful are continuing today (Wednesday) with teams working around the clock to complete the programme of work.
Today teams are progressing with installing a new roadside drainage system with surfacing work now completed. Teams are also working on the new road safety barrier.
A band of heavy rain is forecast in the area throughout the day until later this evening. Geotechnical specialists are closely monitoring the hillside and weather conditions on site, with teams on standby to close the Old Military Road should the situation deteriorate.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re hoping to keep the Old Military Road open overnight but are keeping a close eye on the weather conditions.
“A band of heavy rain is moving in this afternoon into this evening and our geotechnical specialists are on site closely monitoring conditions in the area and any impact it may have.
“We’ll keep the OMR under close review overnight.
“Repairs on the A83 are progressing well despite the weather conditions on site today and teams are still on track to reopen the route under traffic light control early next week.
“In the meantime, Argyll remains open for business and we thank the local community and road users for their patience while we do everything 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 new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Tuesday 1 September – 4.00PM
A83 REPAIRS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS WITH SURFACING WORK UNDERWAY
• A83 on track to reopen under traffic light control by Monday 7 September pending favourable weather conditions
• Old Military Road to remain in use overnight on Tuesday
Complex repairs at the A83 are making good progress with road resurfacing work underway.
The surfacing work covers the section of road which was excavated to install the new culvert system beneath the carriageway, with further work being carried out to the new road safety barrier and road edge beam to support and stabilise the road.
Teams are currently on track to reopen the A83 under traffic light control by Monday 7 September provided there are no significant weather delays.
Once repairs are complete one lane of the A83 will reopen with teams continuing with work to construct a temporary catch-pit at the base of the steep channel formed by the most recent landslip to provide further mitigation and protection for the A83.
Teams are also starting to mobilise for the next permanent catch-pit which will be constructed immediately next to the previous catch-pits which were completed in 2019. Together the measures will help provide further landslip resilience on the route.
The Old Military Road will remain open overnight on Tuesday providing a local diversion route for road users through Glen Croe as repairs continue on the A83.
A band of heavy rain is forecast for Wednesday afternoon and teams will be closely monitoring conditions in the area.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Teams are making good progress on site with the complex repairs at the A83. Today road surfacing work has taken place and teams are also continuing with the installation of the new road safety barrier and road edge beam.
“We’re closely monitoring the weather forecast and provided there are no significant issues we hope to reopen the route as planned by Monday.
“The Old Military Road will remain in use tonight. A band of heavy rain is forecast tomorrow afternoon and we’ll be continually assessing and monitoring the hillside along with our geotechnical specialists to determine if it is safe for us to continue to keep the OMR in operation.
“Once the A83 is reopened under traffic light control teams will continue with the construction of both the temporary catch-pit at the recently formed steep channel next to the A83 as well as at the next planned catch-pit located immediately next to the previously completed catch-pits at the Rest. This will help provide additional landslip resilience for the A83.
“We thank the local community and road users for their patience while we address the landslip at the Rest. Argyll remains open for business and our teams will continue to work around the clock to reopen the A83 as quickly and safely as we can.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 31 August – 3.00PM
WORK ON CONCRETE REPAIRS AT REST AND BE THANKFUL CONTINUES
• Old Military Road to remain open overnight on Monday
Complex repair work continues at the Rest and Be Thankful as teams progress with installation of the concrete retaining wall to support the A83 carriageway and embankment after they were heavily damaged by a landslip earlier in August.
Work also continues to install the new road safety barriers and carriageway edge beam along the A83.
The Old Military Road will remain open overnight as a local diversion route while teams continue with repairs on the A83. The local diversion route has been in operation 24-hours a day since last Sunday with teams monitoring weather conditions on a daily basis.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Engineers are continuing to work around the clock to complete the repairs on the A83 following the landslip earlier this month.
“Teams are progressing with the concrete pour into the newly constructed retaining wall with installation continuing of the new road safety barrier and road edge beam.
“We thank the local community and road users for their patience while we do everything possible to complete the repairs on the A83. Argyll remains open for business and we will do everything we can to reopen the road as quickly and safely as we can.”
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 28 August – 4.45PM
COMPLEX REPAIR WORK CONTINUES AT REST AND BE THANKFUL
• Old Military Road to remain open Friday night
Engineers at the Rest and Be Thankful are progressing with complex repair work to the A83 carriageway after it was damaged by a major landslip earlier this month.
Today (Friday) teams have begun installing the new vehicle restraint system (VRS) barriers along the edge of the A83 carriageway.
Work continues on the recently constructed concrete retaining wall which will help stabilise the road and embankment.
The Old Military Road local diversion route remains open for road users and will be in operation overnight tonight (Friday). Teams are continuing to closely monitor weather conditions which will be reviewed on a daily basis to assess if it is safe to keep the OMR in operation.
Engineers will continue to work round the clock to complete the repairs to the A83.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Today teams are installing the foundations for the new vehicle restraint system barriers which replace the damaged section from the landslip earlier this month.
“Engineers are also working on the concrete retaining wall which has been constructed to support and stabilise the road and embankment next to the carriageway.
“The Old Military Road has been operating well this week and will continue to be in use overnight tonight (Friday). We’ll continue to assess the route on a daily basis to determine if it safe to remain in use for road users.
“Our teams will continue to work 24 hours a day to complete the repairs at the Rest. As ever we thank the local community and all road users for their patience while we complete this complex programme of repairs. Argyll remains open for business and we’ll continue to do everything we can to get the road open as quickly and safely as we can.”
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 27 August – 4.50PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN OPEN ON THURSDAY NIGHT
• Repairs continue on A83 with road expected to reopen under traffic light control by Monday 7 September
The local diversion route via the Old Military Road at the Rest and Be Thankful is to remain open overnight tonight (Thursday) with teams closely monitoring weather conditions in the area.
Work continues to repair the A83 carriageway after it was damaged by a major landslip earlier this month. Engineers are today progressing with work to install a new edge beam along the side of the carriageway to provide further support for the new safety barrier system.
Teams are working towards reopening the A83 under traffic light operation by Monday 7 September, provided weather conditions continue to allow work to proceed as planned.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re working towards having the A83 safely reopened by Monday 7 September subject to favourable weather conditions with teams progressing with the complex repair work to restore the route following the landslip earlier this month.
“The Old Military Road will remain open overnight tonight with teams closely monitoring weather conditions. The local diversion route has been in operation 24 hours a day since Sunday evening with our teams reviewing the weather forecast on a daily basis for safety.
“We thank the local community and road users for their patience while we work to address the Rest and Be Thankful. Argyll remains open for business and teams are continuing to work 24/7 to ensure we’re doing everything we can to reopen the route as quickly and safely as possible.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficsotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 26 August – 4.50PM
REPAIRS CONTINUE ON A83 AS OLD MILITARY ROAD SET TO REMAIN IN USE OVERNIGHT
• Engineers working 24/7 to continue with programme of repairs
The local diversion route via the Old Military Road is set to remain in use overnight on Wednesday as engineers continue with repairs on the A83 carriageway.
Engineers have today (Wednesday) been pouring concrete for the new retaining wall which has been constructed to support the A83 carriageway above a new steep sided channel formed by the landslip earlier this month. A temporary catch-pit is also being created to provide extra mitigation on the road.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Teams are progressing with repairs on the A83 which will stabilise the road after it was undermined and badly damaged in the landslip earlier this month.
“Today teams have been able to pour the concrete into the newly constructed retaining wall which has been anchored into the ground to provide a solid foundation and support for the road and embankment following the landslip. Engineers will continue with the repairs 24/7 should weather conditions continue to allow.
“The Old Military Road has been operating well and we’re closely monitoring weather conditions to ensure it is safe for use. We’re intending to keep it open overnight into Thursday and will continue to assess the route on a daily basis.
“As ever, Argyll remains open for business and we thank the local community and road users for their patience while we work to complete these repairs at the Rest and Be Thankful.”
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 25 August – 4.50PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD LOCAL DIVERSION ROUTE TO REMAIN IN USE OVERNIGHT (TUESDAY) WITH TEAMS CLOSELY MONITORING WEATHER CONDITIONS
• Complex programme of repairs on A83 continues with teams working 24/7
The Old Military Road local diversion route is currently planned to remain open overnight (Tuesday) with teams closely monitoring the weather conditions in the area this evening and throughout the night.
Light rain showers are expected this evening and teams are on standby to close the Old Military Road for safety should conditions deteriorate in the area.
Teams are working to complete a programme of complex repairs on the A83 carriageway which include constructing a concrete wall to stabilise the carriageway and embankment. A temporary catch-pit will also be created to provide extra mitigation on the road.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re intending to keep the Old Military Road open into this evening and overnight however we’re keeping a close eye on weather conditions in the area.
“Some rain showers are forecast later this evening and teams will closely monitor these to assess if they are likely to have an impact on the Rest and Be Thankful. The OMR will be kept under close review overnight.
“Repairs are progressing on the A83 with teams working to complete the programme of work to enable us to reopen the route as soon as possible.
“Argyll remains open for business and we thank the local community and road users for their patience as we do everything 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 new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Monday 24 August – 4PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD DIVERSION ROUTE WILL REMAIN OPEN OVERNIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY
Road repair work continues 24/7 on the A83
Old Military Road in operation today and throughout tonight
Work is continuing on complex repairs of the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful after a landslide on the Tuesday 4 August with teams working on the construction of a bored pile wall to support the road allowing it to re-open.
The Old Military Road (OMR) at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful has been in operation since 6pm Sunday evening and will remain in operation overnight whilst work continues 24/7.
It is intended that the OMR operation will continue into tomorrow, however heavy rain is forecast, and teams will be constantly monitoring and reviewing the safety of the OMR diversion route as necessary.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Work is continuing on the repair works to the A83 following some delay due to boulder risk over the weekend. The Old Military Road local diversion is operating well and will remain open overnight, however its operation will be kept under review through the forecast rain on Tuesday.”
“As ever we thank the local community and all road users while we do everything we can to repair the A83 after the recent landslip. Argyll remains very much open for business and we advise all road users to plan their journey’s in advance by checking the Traffic Scotland website for 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.
Sunday 23 August – 5.40PM
Old Military Road Reopens
The Old Military Road has reopened following successful stabilisation of boulders on the hillside. The Old Military Road will continue to operate as a local diversion for the A83 throughout the night into Monday.
The Old Military Road has reopened following successful stabilisation of boulders on the hillside. The work, involving a helicopter, was successful in removing material around boulders allowing their managed descent down to points of safety. These were then drilled and broken up into smaller tabular sections.
The Old Military Road will continue to operate throughout the night into Monday.
Thank you for your patience through this difficult time.
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org<http://www.trafficscotland.org>, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Saturday 22 August – 7.30pm
MOVEMENT ON THE HILLSIDE AND BOULDER RISK MEANS OLD MILITARY ROAD WILL REMAIN CLOSED OVERNIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY
Boulder stabilisation work on-going and continuing on Sunday
All traffic being diverted via standard diversion route
The Old Military Road (OMR) at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful is closed for the day and will remain closed overnight whilst works are undertaken to stabilise debris and boulders causing concern above the A83.
The OMR reopened around 8.30am on Saturday after an overnight closure was put in place due to heavy rain in the area. Unfortunately, at 10:30am geotechnical engineers then noted movement of debris and boulders on the steep hillside above the road which prompted teams to close the OMR as a safety precaution.
Geotechnical engineers are monitoring the stabilisation work and once satisfied that the situation is safe will sanction the reopening of the Old Military Road.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We reopened the OMR this morning at 8:30am following a safety inspection, however, around 10.30am the OMR was closed again following movement of debris on the hillside. This has been monitored this afternoon and has exposed large boulders which give concern to both the on-going work on the A83 and the operation of the OMR. Work is now on-going to stabilise the situation which will continue to dark tonight and re-start early tomorrow morning.
“Motorists are being diverted via the usual standard diversion route on the A83, A82, A85 and A819 but we are pleased to note that Western Ferries are providing an additional ferry on their Gourock to Dunoon Service as an alternative during this period.”
“In the meantime, Argyll remains open for business and we thank the local community and road users for their patience while we do everything we can to repair the A83 and safely reopen it as soon 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.
Friday 21 August – 3.00PM
FORECAST HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT MEANS OLD MILITARY ROAD WILL CLOSE FROM MIDNIGHT
• Safety inspection to take place at 9am tomorrow (Saturday) ahead of potential reopening
• Reports of workforce at A83 closure points receiving abuse from members of public
The Old Military Road at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful is set to remain open until midnight tonight (Friday) when forecast heavy rain in the early hours of Saturday morning means it will close for the rest of the night.
A safety inspection is set to take place around 9am on Saturday morning to assess if the road will be safe to reopen.
The OMR closed overnight on Thursday and reopened around midday on Friday after heavy rain in the area.
Geotechnical specialists assessed the area and debris movements in the channels above the A83 before considering it safe to reopen.
The weather forecast and situation on site will continue to be assessed on a daily basis to consider if safe to run the local diversion route for motorists.
Teams are continuing with a programme of complex repairs to address the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful following a landslide on 4 August.
Reports of verbal abuse directed towards team members working on the closure points at the A83 have been received by motorists frustrated at not being able to pass through the closure area. Incidents have included threats and verbal abuse from road users directed towards staff who have had to reinstate the standard diversion route due to the OMR closing for safety. BEAR Scotland is reporting incidences to Police Scotland in a bid to resolve these events.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We reopened the OMR this afternoon around 12.20pm following a successful safety assessment by our geotechnical team after last night’s heavy rain.
“With more heavy rain forecast we have to close the OMR from 12 midnight tonight and will carry out a safety assessment around 9am tomorrow to consider if we can reopen.
“Whilst we appreciate the frustration this can cause, safety has to come first and we need to make sure that we keep all road users safe at all times. We’ll continue to review the weather forecast and situation at the Rest on a daily basis to consider if it is safe to reopen. Hopefully the later closure time tonight will help to accommodate the majority of travellers.
“We’ve also had reports of our teams receiving verbal abuse and threats from some motorists at the road closure points on the A83. This abuse will not be tolerated and we are already working closely with Police Scotland to investigate these incidences.
“Please respect our workforce who are only doing their job and working to keep all road users safe.
“In the meantime, Argyll remains open for business and we thank the local community and road users for their patience while we do everything we can to repair the A83 and safely reopen it as soon as we can.”
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 20 August – 8.30PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD NOW CLOSED DUE TO INCREASINGLY HEAVY RAIN
• All traffic being diverted via standard diversion route
The Old Military Road at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful has now closed for the day due to increasingly heavy rain on site.
Geotechnical specialists identified that increasingly heavy rain was creating debris movement in the channels above the road which prompted teams to close the OMR as a safety precaution.
All traffic is now being diverted via the standard diversion route of A83, A82, A85 and A819.
Heavy rain is forecast overnight with particularly heavy rain showers now forecast throughout tomorrow morning.
The safety inspection will now take place from 12 noon when a full assessment of the OMR and the surrounding hillside will be carried out. The OMR will remain closed until the green light is given from the safety inspections.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Increasingly heavy rain in the area this evening has forced us to close the Old Military Road earlier than anticipated for safety reasons after our teams who were monitoring the hillside identified debris movement in the steep channel above the A83.
“We’ve closed the local diversion road as a precaution and it will remain closed until a full safety inspection can take place tomorrow afternoon. Heavy rain is forecast overnight with particularly heavy rain now forecast until late morning tomorrow, so we need to ensure a thorough geotechnical assessment is completed before we can consider reopening.
“Geotechnical teams will be onsite from first light to monitor the situation on the hillside throughout the day.
“Safety remains our top priority and we will continue to do everything we can to address the situation at the rest.
“Argyll remains open for business and encourage road users to check for travel updates from Traffic Scotland.”
Real time travel information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.
Thursday 20 August – 10.45AM
FORECAST HEAVY RAIN PROMPTS CLOSURE OF OLD MILITARY ROAD FROM 9PM TO 9AM
The Old Military Road is set to close from 9pm overnight tonight (Thursday) until around 9am tomorrow after further heavy rain has been forecast for the Rest and Be Thankful area which has the potential to impact on the route.
The forecast indicates that heavy rain will develop early evening tonight (Thursday) until 9am, with particularly heavy rain from 6am to 9am. Around 30-40mm is expected to fall in the area across the next 24 hours.
All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route A83, A82, A85 and A819 from 9pm this evening. A full safety assessment will take place from 9am tomorrow morning which will assess if the local diversion route is safe to reopen. This will be undertaken earlier if weather permits.
Heavy rain has the potential to impact on the steep channels above and below the A83 carriageway, where loose debris and material is present following a major landslip in the area on 4 August.
Teams are working round the clock to carry out a programme of complex repairs on the A83 carriageway after it was damaged following the landslide.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’re paying close attention to the forecasts in order to ensure if it is safe for us to keep the Old Military Road open for road users given the presence of loose debris in the steep channels on the hillside.
“Heavy rain is developing overnight with particularly heavy rain tomorrow morning until 9am. For safety the OMR will close from 9pm until 9am, when we’ll reassess the route to check if it is safe to reopen.
“We understand the frustration in closing the OMR however we need to put safety of road users first. We’ll continue to monitor the hillside and the conditions in the area and do all we can to open the OMR as soon as we can tomorrow morning once the safety assessment following the heavy rain is complete.
“Argyll remains open for business and as ever we thank the local community and road users for their patience and assure them we’re working hard to get the A83 open as quickly and safely as possible.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland, or my.trafficscotland.org.
Wednesday 19 August – 11.30am
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE FROM 9PM DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FORECAST OVERNIGHT
• Further heavy rain forecast for Wednesday night prompts local diversion route to close as a precaution
• All traffic will be diverted via standard diversion route
• Full safety assessment to take place at first light tomorrow morning (Thursday) before route can be given green light to open
The Old Military Road will close overnight from 9pm tonight (Wednesday) as further heavy rain is forecast which has the potential to impact the Rest and Be Thankful.
The forecast indicates that short bursts of intense rain is expected overnight which has the potential to affect the hillside.
Safety measures are in place to monitor the hillside however these are restricted during the hours of darkness, with the decision taken to close the local diversion route overnight to ensure the safety of road users.
The standard diversion route will be implemented from 9pm via the A83, A82, A85 and A819 for all traffic.
Teams are progressing with the complex repairs on the A83 following a large landslip which occurred on 4 August. The landslip caused significant damage to the carriageway and embankments above and below the road. Teams have been working round the clock to progress the repairs which include constructing concrete retaining walls on the recently formed steep channels to help stabilise the embankment, installing a new culvert beneath the A83 and installing a temporary catch-pit next to the road side to provide further mitigation in the area.
Following some concerns from local businesses, our teams will also rearrange the road signs at Tarbet to further highlight that businesses in the area remain open to the public when the standard diversion is implemented.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Further heavy rain is forecast this evening which has the potential to impact on the Rest and Be Thankful.
“We have to prioritise safety of motorists at all times and given it is difficult for us to effectively monitor the hillside in darkness we have had to take the difficult decision to close the OMR overnight tonight for safety.
“All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route overnight from 9pm. We’ll assess the road with our geotechnical specialists at first light tomorrow morning (Thursday) and consider if it is safe to reopen to road users.
“We’ve also taken steps to rearrange the road signs at Tarbet to further highlight that businesses remain open to the public. We will continue to work with the local community and do all we can to assist them while our teams work round the clock to get the A83 reopen safely.
“Argyll remains open for business and ever we thank the local community and road users for their patience while we 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 site my.trafficscotland.org.
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO CLOSE AT MIDDAY DUE TO FORECAST HEAVY RAIN
– Road to close as a safety precaution after yellow heavy rain warning issued
– All traffic will be diverted via standard diversion route from 12 noon
– Safety assessment to take place at first light tomorrow morning (Wednesday) ahead of potential reopening
The Old Military Road is set to close from 12 noon today as a safety precaution due to forecast heavy rain in the area.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain across most of Scotland from 1pm until 9pm this evening. The forecast indicates sporadic heavy bursts of showers of up to 30mm of rain which has the potential to affect the Rest and Be Thankful.
A safety check will take place at first light tomorrow morning (Wednesday) to assess the route before reopening the local diversion as before.
A large landslip impacted the A83 and embankments above and below the road on 4 August which teams have been working round the clock to repair. Geotechnical specialists have assessed the area and a large amount of loose debris is still present in the steep channels above and below the A83 which has the potential to become dislodged should a period of heavy rain occur.
For safety the OMR will close and all traffic will be diverted via the A83, A82, A85 and A819. Western Ferries is available as an alternative travel option for motorists with sailings between Dunoon and Gourock.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “We’ve been paying close attention to the weather forecast and advice from our geotechnical specialists and the safest option is to close the Old Military Road given the potential for heavy rain in the area.
“Safety has to come first and with loose debris present in the steep channels above and below the A83 carriageway we have taken the difficult decision to close the local diversion road for safety.
“All traffic will be diverted via the standard diversion route of the A83, A82, A85 and A819 from midday. We will assess the area again at first light tomorrow with the hope of reopening the road early tomorrow morning following the green light from safety checks.
“We thank the local community and road users for their patience while we do everything we can to address the landslip at the Rest and Be Thankful.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org or twitter at @trafficscotland.
Monday 17 August – 2.45PM
REPAIRS ONGOING AT A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL
• Old Military Road local diversion to temporarily close overnight tonight (Monday) between midnight and 4am for surfacing repairs
Complex repair work at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful is continuing with teams beginning work on excavating a new culvert beneath the A83.
Teams have been working 24 hours a day to complete the programme of repairs after designs to safely restore the road and embankments were completed last week.
A major landslip on 4 August impacted the road and embankment above and below the carriageway with teams working through a series of engineering solutions to stabilise the road and embankments to allow the route to safely reopen under traffic light control.
The Old Military Road has been in use as a local diversion 24 hours a day since Thursday. The route will temporarily close overnight tonight between midnight and 4am to allow teams to address one of the bends on the road which is in need of repair. The diversion road will remain open outwith these times.
A Met Office Yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued across parts of Scotland from 1pm until 9pm tomorrow afternoon, and teams will be closely monitoring the weather forecast to see if it will impact on the Rest and Be Thankful. The decision as to whether the Old Military Road will remain open overnight on Tuesday will be determined tomorrow.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Teams have worked continuously over the weekend to carry out repairs to the A83, with work beginning on installing the culvert beneath the A83.
“The Old Military Road has been operating well as a local diversion route but will close for a short four hour period overnight tonight to allow us to safely resurface a small section of the route at one of the sharp bends which will ensure it remains safe for road users.
“We’ve arranged for this to take place between midnight and 4am when traffic volumes are at their lowest to reduce disruption as much as possible. All traffic will be directed towards the standard diversion route via the A83, A82, A85 and A819 during this time.
“Safety remains our top priority and we’re paying close attention to the weather forecast given tomorrow’s weather warnings for heavy rain across parts of Scotland. We’ll take a decision tomorrow as to whether the OMR can safely remain open on Tuesday night.
“As ever we thank the local community and all road users while we do everything we can to repair the A83 after last week’s landslip. Argyll remains very much open for business and we advise all road users to plan their journey’s in advance by checking the Traffic Scotland website for 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.
Saturday 15 August -12:30pm
REPAIR WORK CONTINUES AT A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL
• Old Military Road to remain open overnight on Saturday night
• Piling works continue around the clock on the complex A83 repair
Repair work is continuing on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful around the clock after a major landslide impacted the carriageway on the 4th August.
A programme of complex repairs to the embankment above and below the road as well as work to stabilise the carriageway is underway which is expected to take up to three weeks to complete. Work is continuing on the construction of a bored pile wall to support the road. A temporary catch-pit is also being installed next to the roadside and preparatory work for this this has also commenced.
Once repairs are complete the A83 will be able to reopen under traffic light control.
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to remain in use overnight on Saturday for road users. The route will be reviewed on a daily basis paying close attention to the weather forecast to see if it will remain safe to reopen overnight. Strict safety protocols are in place which allow teams to continue to keep the diversion route in operation throughout the night.
The A83 has been closed since Tuesday 4 August due to a large landslip which impacted the road. The carriageway has been undermined due to large volumes of water and debris washing material from beneath the road and the supporting embankment.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Teams are making good progress with the repairs on the A83 following the landslip.
“Today teams are continuing to install piles for the installation to form a concrete retaining wall which will support the road across the damaged section.
“Teams will work 24/7 to allow us to reopen the A83 as quickly and safely as possible.
“The Old Military Road is in use as a local diversion road for motorists and will be used overnight tonight (Saturday). We’ll continue to assess the weather forecast on a daily basis to determine if it is safe to keep the route open overnight.
“We thank all road users and the local community while we do everything we can to repair the A83 after last week’s landslip. Argyll remains very much open for business and we advise all road users to plan their journey’s in advance by checking the Traffic Scotland website for 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.
REPAIR WORK CONTINUES AT A83 REST AND BE THANKFUL
• Old Military Road to remain open overnight on Friday night
Repair work is continuing on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful after a major landslide impacted the carriageway last week.
A programme of complex repairs to the embankment above and below the road as well as work to stabilise the carriageway is underway which is expected to take up to three weeks to 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.
A temporary catch-pit is also being installed next to the roadside below the recently formed steep channel which will help provide additional resilience for the A83.
Once repairs are complete the A83 will be able to reopen under traffic light control. Teams are carrying out the repairs 24/7 to enable to the road to be reopened as soon as it is safe to do so.
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to remain in use overnight on Friday for road users. The route will be reviewed on a daily basis paying close attention to the weather forecast to see if it will remain safe to reopen overnight. Strict safety protocols are in place which allow teams to continue to keep the diversion route in operation throughout the night.
The A83 has been closed since last Tuesday due to a large landslip which impacted the road. The carriageway has been undermined due to large volumes of water and debris washing material from beneath the road and the supporting embankment.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “Teams are making good progress with the repairs on the A83 following last week’s landslip.
“Today teams have started to drill for the installation of piles to form a concrete retaining wall which will support the road across the damaged section.
“Teams will work 24/7 to allow us to reopen the A83 as quickly and safely as possible.
“The Old Military Road is in use as a local diversion road for motorists and will be used overnight tonight (Friday). We’ll continue to assess the weather forecast on a daily basis to determine if it is safe to keep the route open overnight.
“We thank all road users and the local community while we do everything we can to repair the A83 after last week’s landslip. Argyll remains very much open for business and we advise all road users to plan their journey’s in advance by checking the Traffic Scotland website for 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.
Thursday 13 August – 2.45PM
OLD MILITARY ROAD TO REMAIN OPEN OVERNIGHT
• Teams progressing with repairs to the A83 and embankment
• Programme of repairs estimated to take up to three weeks to complete before A83 can safely reopen under one lane
The Old Military Road local diversion route is to remain open overnight tonight (Thursday) after teams have carried out safety assessments of the slope above the A83.
The route will be reviewed on a daily basis paying close attention to the weather forecast to see if it will remain safe to reopen overnight. Strict safety protocols are in place which allow teams to continue to keep the diversion route open overnight.
A series of Met Office weather warnings in recent days had prompted the route to close overnight as a safety precaution.
The A83 has been closed since last Tuesday due to a large landslip which impacted the road. The carriageway has been undermined due to large volumes of water and debris washing material from beneath the road and the supporting embankment. A programme of repairs has now been drawn up after teams have completed designs which will allow the A83 to safely reopen under traffic light control once work is complete.
The programme of repairs includes the construction of a concrete wall to support the road as well as a culvert to carry water under the road. A new temporary catch-pit will be installed at the foot of the recently formed steep channel above the roadside to help provide extra mitigation in the area. 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.
The complex repairs are expected to take up to three weeks to complete, subject to weather conditions and no unexpected issues on site. Teams plan on undertaking the repairs 24 hours a day to complete the project in the shortest possible timescale.
Once works are complete the A83 will be able to reopen under traffic light control.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “The Old Military Road will remain open tonight after reviewing all safety procedures and close scrutiny of the weather forecast overnight indicates that it will be safe for us to allow traffic through during darkness.
“We’ve concluded designs to allow us to safely repair the A83 following last week’s landslip.
“The repairs involve complex engineering methods which involve stabilising the recently formed steep channels on the embankments above and below the carriageway, as well as repairing the road which was heavily damaged by the landslip. A catch-pit will also be installed to help provide additional mitigation for the A83.
“With good weather and no unforeseen circumstances we expect these repairs will take up to three weeks to complete, and our teams will work 24 hours a day to get the repairs completed as quickly as we can to allow the A83 to safely reopen.
“We thank all road users and the local community while we do everything we can to repair the A83 after last week’s landslip. Argyll remains open for business and we advise all road users to plan their journey’s in advance by checking the Traffic Scotland website for 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.