This week Ruth Wishart looks at the recent lengthy closure of the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful – and at the suggestion that a tunnel is the only long-term solution to the problem.

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I guess a lot of us use the A83 regularly.

It’s not just commercial suppliers and contractors, but it is part of a well trodden tourist trail where we take our visitors or just go for a scenic run with some pleasant meals attached.

And for years we’ve become used to bits of that journey being disrupted by “temporary” traffic lights as they try and shore up the steep hillside prone to landslips.

But given the latest closure, and the all-too-accurate predictions of the impact of climate change, it’s becoming clear that even the very expensive re-opening of the Old Military Road as emergency cover, plus yet more devices to prevent rocky debris tumbling on to the highway, are probably not a long-term solution.

The notion of a tunnel, currently being promoted, would, I imagine, cost several kings’ ransoms given the excavation work required and heaven knows what delays and diversions that work would entail.

Yet, at the moment the commercial pain felt by traders in destinations like Inveraray, coupled with the regular inconvenience of lengthy detours by those whose journey is essential rather than elective, does indicate that if we don’t deploy some serious lateral thought, an occasional hiccup is more likely than not going to become a regular headache.