Road users on the A83 Rest and Be Thankful are advised that essential ground investigation work will require traffic to be diverted onto the Old Military Road (OMR) between 08:00 and 18:00 on several days during May, June, July, and August 2025.

These daytime diversions, commencing on Monday, May 19th and Tuesday, May 20th, are necessary to allow contractor Structural Soils Ltd (SSL) to conduct detailed ground investigations. This work is a critical part of informing the design development for the planned long-term resilient infrastructure solution at the Rest and Be Thankful.

The investigations will involve large cranes and ancillary equipment lifting specialist drilling machinery onto the hillside. During these operations, the cranes will need to occupy the full width of the A83 carriageway, necessitating the diversions. The closures are required during daylight hours to ensure the safety of the workforce, as the nature of the work prevents it from being undertaken at night.

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Gordon Ramsay, A83 Project Manager at Transport Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering a permanent and resilient infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks as a priority and as quickly as possible.”

He acknowledged the impact of the diversions: “Transport Scotland appreciates the frustration that traffic management, including diversions onto the OMR causes the local community, businesses and road users. As we carry out any works, we are committed to ensuring that Argyll and Bute remains open for business.”

Ramsay further explained, “These temporary diversions onto the OMR are key to maintaining safety for both road users and the workforce. We will work with the ground investigation contractor to complete the work as quickly as possible and to reduce the number of closures needed, if feasible. Transport Scotland would like to thank local communities and road users for their cooperation."

He concluded by highlighting the technical demands of the project: "The long term solution, consisting of a 1.4km debris flow shelter, is technically challenging and the landscape is dynamic so it is vital to understand the terrain in order to develop a suitable solution of the correct standard in the correct place."

Road users are advised to plan their journeys accordingly during these periods and to check for the latest travel information.