Loch Lomond charity urge Transport Scotland to rethink A83 shelter

The Friends of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs have written to Transport Scotland outlining 15 reasons why they believe the plan to construct an "ugly" shelter over the A83 in Glen Croe is the wrong option - and another 14 on why they believe a viaduct would be a better idea.

The government's transport agency announced earlier this year that its preferred solution to decades of landslide headaches on the A83 east of the 'Rest' was to build a concrete shelter to protect the road with a 'catch pit' below for debris.

But Helensburgh resident John Urquhart, who chairs the Friends, says the shelter option is "the worst of all outcomes" - not least because, he claims, it is likely to fail.

READ MORE: Full details of the £470m shelter plan chosen as 'preferred option' to solve A83 landslides

Mr Urquhart says either a viaduct or a viaduct and short tunnel would be a better option because it would protect the scenery of the area.

Mr Urquhart said: “Having completely failed to grasp the importance of the cultural and scenic value of this iconic location, Transport Scotland [TS] is well behind the curve on this one.

“‘The Rest’ is one of Scotland’s finest and most travelled mountain passes, and solving the A83 debris flow problem there should have been grasped as a golden opportunity to create a world class ‘gateway’ experience for travellers journeying through the magnificent mountain scenery of the Arrochar Alps.

“Instead, TS has gone for the 'comfort blanket' approach of sticking to the existing road alignment which is to be protected by an ugly shelter comprising a concrete wall and roof, from which excavators will clear avalanche debris collected in pits dug behind the wall."

It's not the first time the Friends have criticised Transport Scotland: last year the group lodged a petition at the Scottish Parliament to lobby for a rethink of the government's plan to upgrade the A82 along the north-west shore of Loch Lomond, between Tarbet and Ardlui.

The government's plan will see an upgraded section of that road built along the lochside - against the wishes of the Friends, who say a new 'high road' option, further up in the hills, would be better for traffic, pedestrians and the environment.

READ MORE: Petition urging rethink of A82 'low road' plan is lodged at Holyrood

Mr Urquhart continued: “As with the similarly troubled A82 upgrade, it seems the engineers have just been left to get on with it.

“Without proper oversight, it is hardly surprising they have come up with an unimaginative scheme which delivers the worst of all outcomes.

“Not only will the concrete tunnel be unsightly and noisy, in the long run it is likely to fail.

“It is difficult to comprehend how such a short sighted and damaging scheme could ever have been selected, and we wonder if the process was perhaps driven by politicians looking for a populist headline, rather than a balanced consideration of all the evidence.

“Both the A82 and A83 schemes are being promoted as being the cheapest and quickest, but we have seen that kind of claim before in relation to ferries.

“The reality is that neither of them makes much sense.”

The Friends' arguments against the concrete shelter and catch pit option are:

1. It would be unsightly and spoil a famous, historic and iconic location of outstanding scenic value.

2. Internal sound reverberation will make the journey over “The Rest” an unpleasantly noisy experience for travellers.

3. The traveller’s view of Glen Croe from the road will be spoiled.

4. Clearing the catch pits of debris will be costly and will interfere with the free flow of traffic.

5. Disposal of debris gathered from the catch pits will be expensive and damaging to the environment.

6. The shelter and catch pits and their access track will be expensive and time consuming to construct.

7. The shelter will limit use of the road for transporting unusually wide or high loads associated with wind turbines for example.

8. Construction is likely to be held up by the threat of or actual debris flow events during periods of extreme rainfall whose frequency and impact is expected to increase in the coming years.

9. The shelter itself will be vulnerable in the case of potentially very large debris flow events triggered by the expected occurrence of increasingly extreme rainfall events driven by the warming of the atmosphere.

10. Widening the old military road (OMR) so that it can act as a relief road will cause delay and extra expense.

11. As the hairpins on the OMR will not be widened, there will still be traffic delays during the construction period.

12. An opportunity to return the entire southern slopes of Beinn Luibhean to nature will be lost.

13. The catch pits will interrupt the normal downstream movement of debris fundamental to the maintenance of stream channel geometry equilibrium downstream. Watercourses starved of their normal debris load can be subject to channel margin scour which long term will lead to problems further downstream.

14. Foundation conditions on the steep hillside required to support the shelter wall and roof may be challenging, especially given the area’s known instability.

15. The design seems to take no account of cyclists or walkers.

The group’s arguments in favour of a viaduct, or viaduct and short tunnel are:

1. As with the case of the somewhat analogous Pass of Killiecrankie, where 40 years ago an entirely new road was constructed, travellers will have exceptional views of the glen and its surrounding mountains. Travelled in either direction, it will provide a memorable, even iconic, “Gateway Experience” commensurate with the scenic and historic qualities of one of Scotland’s finest and most travelled mountain passes.

2. Tried and tested engineering techniques will be used.

3. Disturbance to the environment and scenery will be minimal.

4. A well designed and gracefully proportioned viaduct will enhance the landscape.

5. Disruption to traffic during construction minimised.

6. Construction can begin almost immediately.

7. No need for a relief road during construction.

8. Reduced traffic noise at The Rest and Be Thankful car park.

9. With the short tunnel option, space will be available for enlargement of the Rest and Be Thankful car park and viewpoint with opportunity to provide a high quality “Gateway experience” for the visitor, including provision of motor home bays, toilets and interpretation.

The Old Military Road diversion in Glen Croe (Pic: Gordon Terris) (Image: Newsquest)

10. The entire southern slopes of Beinn Luibhean could properly be returned to nature.

11. There would no longer be any need for hugely expensive, risky and quite likely ultimately futile management or mitigation of the normal downslope movement of debris which we all know is being accelerated by increasingly frequent extreme rainfall events driven by global warming.

12. Debris flow and gullying processes would be free to move material downslope where it would be deposited harmlessly in natural alluviual fans which would enhance both scenic and biological diversity.

13. Apart from the short tunnel, most of the engineering will be on the relatively flat floor of the glen where foundation conditions would presumably be more conducive than those on the steep and unstable slopes above.

14. A largely unaltered OMR would remain available to be re-purposed as a cycling and walking route.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government remains committed to a long-term solution to the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful.

"We share the urgency communities and businesses place on maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route, which is why we are progressing measures for the short, medium and long term in tandem.

“Following a thorough assessment of the options to improve the route, including one consisting of a 1.8km long viaduct, the preferred debris flow shelter route option performed most favourably across a broad range of criteria – it also has the greatest potential to be delivered quickly, and presents the best opportunity to encourage sustainable travel.

Work on repairing the A83 after a landslide (Image: BEAR Scotland)

"The consultation on preferred route option ended on July 28 and we are now considering the many responses received as we further develop our proposals.

“At the same time, we are looking to increase the resilience of the temporary diversion route along the existing Old Military Road with the first phase of the proposed improvements, comprising of the realignment of the southern end of the road, expected to begin later this year.

“These developments underline our determination to work with key stakeholders and local communities to ensure Argyll and Bute remains open for business, and recognise clear communications is at the heart of this approach.”