SCOTLAND’S transport minister has been questioned in the Scottish Parliament over future investment in the A83 trunk road.

The route, connecting Argyll with central Scotland, reopened at the Rest and Be Thankful last Thursday morning after being shut for more than a week because of a series of landslides.

Helensburgh’s MSP Jackie Baillie, whose constituency includes the ‘Rest’, raised the issue at Holyrood on Tuesday, asking Michael Matheson what investment the Scottish Government planned to make to improve the road.

Mr Matheson highlighted £6 million in maintenance on the route during the current financial year, including £1.7 million on landslide mitigation measures at the Rest – itself part of a £4.4 million investment plan which runs until 2019-20.

He also said he was “open to looking at whether further measures need to be taken to address the issue permanently”.

Mr Matheson told MSPs: “Clearly, given recent events and the scale of that landslide, we need to look at whether further measures need to be taken as we consider its impact.”

Speaking after the exchange, Ms Baillie said: “This is not the first time that we have seen the A83 closed at the Rest and Be Thankful and, whilst I am grateful for all the efforts to reopen both roads, it is time that a permanent solution is found.

“I have today asked the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to work with Argyll and Bute Council and Transport Scotland and commission a full options appraisal for the A83 to find a permanent solution for the route to provide certainty for local residents and businesses.”

Councillors in Argyll and Bute are also to push for talks with Mr Matheson and finance secretary Derek Mackay on the road’s future.

Council leader Aileen Morton said: “This council, local residents, businesses and parliamentarians have all been clear for years that a permanent solution for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful is absolutely essential, that the negative impact of the road closures and the negative impact of the reporting of the road closures is detrimental to Argyll’s communities.

“The failure of the most recent works to keep the road open demands an urgent review of existing and future plans at the Rest and Be Thankful.

“The scale of financial support needed to deliver a permanent solution is potentially very substantial.

“However, when considered in the light of other investments across the country, such as the Queensferry Crossing at a cost of £1.35bn or the Aberdeen bypass at a cost of £745m, the potential costs here are put into a different perspective.”