THERE'S been an angry reaction after it was revealed that council officials have granted an 'urgent closure' request for a stretch the A814 near Helensburgh.
Argyll and Bute councillors were told on Thursday that the section of the route between Garelochhead and Arrochar, passing the Ministry of Defence's ammunitions jetty at Glen Mallan on Loch Long, will be closed to all traffic for at least part of the time between Monday, March 14 and Friday, March 18.
An email sent to all councillors by an authority official states that the closure request was sent to the council by the MoD on Wednesday afternoon, and that attempts were made to find a solution that did not require any full closure of the road.
But that email says the short notice request to the authority "limited the options to explore alternatives" - and says the MoD will only require a full closure "when absolutely necessary".
The closure notice also applies to the C69 road linking the A814 and the A82 via Glen Douglas.
Media outlets, including the Advertiser's sister newspaper, The Herald, are reporting that HMS Queen Elizabeth is on its way to Glen Mallan from Portsmouth for "a routine logistics visit".
The aircraft carrier attracted many admirers at close quarters on her first visit to the Loch Long facility in March 2021.
In June 2019 Helensburgh and Lomond councillors agreed to approve a 'clearway' on the road between Garelochhead and Arrochar preventing vehicles stopping on that section of the A814, to allow the safe loading and unloading of Royal Navy vessels berthed at Glen Mallan.
But local councillor George Freeman, whose Lomond North ward includes both the Glen Mallan site and the two sections of road affected by the closure notice, hit out at the decision.
In an email seen by the Advertiser, Cllr Freeman told colleagues: "I am far from happy at this road closure and will be making my views known publicly.
"It is most disappointing that there has been no consultation with local councillors on this matter.
"Such a closure will require constituents and the general public, many of whom travel back and forward on the road on a daily basis, to take a lengthy detour along the A817 and A82 to access Arrochar and beyond into Argyll.
"With the current ongoing high increases in fuel cost, this will cost constituents and others who will be forced to take the lengthy detour extra costs.
"Will the MoD or the Council compensate those who will be forced to incur these additional costs?
"I have travelled on this road as a councillor for 23 years with munitions being loaded and unloaded to/from ships on a regular basis without the need for any road closures.
"Why do the MoD consider that road closures are now required?
"I believe that this could be the thin end of the wedge and that such road closures could become the norm."
A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “Temporary road restrictions are a matter for the council.
“However, when vessels are alongside Glen Mallan jetty there may be a requirement for temporary traffic measures while ammunitioning takes place.
“This is in the interests of public safety and is in conjunction and consultation with both the local authority and Police Scotland. It is anticipated that disruption will be kept to an absolute minimum.
“For security reasons we would not routinely comment on vessel movements in advance.”
A council spokesperson added: "We have facilitated an urgent request from the MoD to put a temporary road closure in place on the A814 from Garelochhead to Arrochar, and the C69 Glen Douglas Road linking the A814 with the A82.
"The road closure will only apply when signage is in place, and will be remain open at all other times.
"The option to close the road will be in place for the MoD from 8am on Monday, March 14 to 8pm on Friday, March 18.
"The MoD and Police Scotland have reassured the council that the closure will be limited with as little disruption as possible to the community."
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