ROADS bosses have refuted claims of a 'botched' job after a business owner said repeated works had cost his cafe income.
Michael Slaven, who runs Arrochar Tearoom, told the Advertiser that drainage problems along the A83 route had been impacting trade.
The main road through the village was resurfaced in two phases earlier this year, most recently between May and June, but Michael claimed the project resulted in further issues with flooding drains, which have allegedly been clogged up with fresh tar.
Road maintenance company BEAR Scotland completed 'drainage improvement works’ in the area just two years ago, at a cost of £50,000. At the time, the firm said the scheme would “improve the drainage system and reduce the risk of flooding on the trunk road”.
A BEAR spokesperson said they were not aware of any current drainage issues.
However, Michael, who has operated in the village since 2011, said the road between Arrochar and Tarbet still "floods constantly".
He said: "A new surface was put down and the new drain just fills up with water. Another nearby drain has been collapsing for three or four years. There are three drains that are all failing.
"The last couple of weeks have seen the first big monsoon since it was installed and because of the flooding cars have been swerving all over the road.
"[The roadworks] just finished three weeks ago and it’s all started all over again."
Michael said customers couldn't access a nearby shared car park while the work was ongoing, causing "maximum damage" to his business on a recent bank holiday.
He added: "It may now have to be done again, so that’s another week of business I will miss out on, and we are a seasonal business, so every penny counts.
"I use reliable suppliers for my job, so why aren’t BEAR Scotland doing the same? It makes you wonder how they are going to sort the Rest and Be Thankful if they can’t even fix a simple job like this."
BEAR has an ongoing contract from Transport Scotland to monitor the troubled Rest and Be Thankful, with long-term plans in place for a more resilient and sustainable route.
Michael also reported the issues in Arrochar to local MSP Jackie Baillie, who said she was pursuing the matter.
The Labour politician told the Advertiser: "Mr Slaven has suffered significant disruption to his business over the past few months due to these works, for which he received no prior notification.
"I have written to Transport Scotland asking for a full explanation of the reasons for the scale of the disruption as well as addressing his concerns about the quality of the work undertaken.
"Repairs to roads are necessary but they should be done quickly and properly to minimise the impact on local businesses, and it appears that this has not been the case in this instance."
A BEAR Scotland spokesperson said: "In July 2024, BEAR Scotland, on behalf of Transport Scotland, carried out drainage improvement works on the A83 between Arrochar and Tarbet, approximately 1.5km from the Arrochar Tearoom.
"The five-day scheme included improvements to the existing drainage system to help reduce the risk of surface water on the trunk road.
"Since these works were completed, we are not aware of any issues with the drainage system installed as part of that scheme, and there are currently no further drainage works programmed in this location.
"However, we take any concerns raised by local residents and businesses seriously. Our team is conducting an inspection of the area today (July 10) and, should any maintenance be required following this inspection, it will be assessed and programmed as appropriate. We will also take the opportunity to reach out to Mr Slaven.
"We recognise that roadworks can cause temporary disruption and we always seek to minimise the impact on local communities and businesses while carrying out essential maintenance to keep the trunk road network safe and serviceable."
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