Work is underway to address a landslip on the A83 through the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll and Bute.

Engineers have started excavating three catch-pits at the bottom of the slope which are

designed to catch any material from potential landslips to prevent the debris from reaching the road.

The design for the scheme, which is costing around £1.8 million, has been endorsed by the A83 taskforce.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: "The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to the maintaining access to the A83.

-- Advertisement --

"More than £58 million has been invested in the route since 2007 to the end of the last financial year, including almost £10 million for landslip mitigation at the Rest and Be Thankful.

"Once completed, these three pits will have the potential to hold upwards of 15,000 tonnes of debris material were this to be generated by a landslip. This provides additional resilience capacity.

"The nets continue to prove their worth having caught material from a small slippage earlier this month.

"We understand that the community is concerned about a delay to the start of the catch-pit work but it was important that we had the correct preparations in place and now that the work is underway we are looking forward to seeing it progressing to keep Argyll open for business."

(LM)