June 2 2023

Transport Scotland has opened an online exhibition outlining its preferred route for a mile-long tunnel to protect motorists from landslips on the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful.

Detailed plans by Atkins and WSP for the covered roadway, termed a 'debris flow shelter', draw inspiration from Europe where open-sided tunnels are employed to minimise risks from falling rocks and debris.

Billed as a 'long-term' solution the £470m shelter is being progressed in tandem with realignment and other improvements to a temporary diversion route along the Old Military Road to reduce flood risk.

Minister for Transport Kevin Stewart MSP commented: “Work will now be taken forward at pace to further develop our proposals, including the detailed development and assessment of the preferred option along with the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment, draft Road Orders and draft Compulsory Purchase Orders."

The preferred solution, known as the brown option, would be 2.4km long and incorporate an uphill flow shelter and catch pit extending to 1.37km to protect against landslides emanating from unstable terrain on Beinn Luibhean.

Alternative route options include a viaduct on lower ground less susceptible to ground movement and a 3km long traditional tunnel to the east of the current route beneath the slopes of Beinn Luibhean.

8 Comments

#1 Posted by Nairns Bairn on 2 Jun 2023 at 12:37 PM

A similar tunnel protects both road and railway between Strome Ferry and Strathcarron, and seems to be very effective.

(Apart from that time there was a landslide outside the tunnel extents, obviously).

#2 Posted by shiny beast on 2 Jun 2023 at 15:06 PM

Should the roof not be pitched downslope to avoid build-up of heavy debris affecting structural integrity ?

#3 Posted by Tacitus on 3 Jun 2023 at 08:34 AM

Seems odd that such a huge amount of cash can be found for what is a minor road when health, education and social service budgets are desperately in need of more funding.

#4 Posted by Lovely on 3 Jun 2023 at 11:11 AM

It's an important trunk road and it's amazing that this was not done 20 years ago rather than the never ending piece meal repairs and consequent inefficient expenditure and transport delays. The headline cost does seem very high though for what is a not complex civil engineering project. The aesthetic of the graphics looks pretty bad too. Why not have a sloping green roof to marry it into the hillside?

#5 Posted by Tree Man on 5 Jun 2023 at 17:26 PM

Or, you know, plant trees to stabilise the slope.

#6 Posted by Martin on 6 Jun 2023 at 09:06 AM

#5 - It's been done. They've planted tens if not hundreds of thousands of trees upslope from the road over the last couple of years, and I think they're continuing to add more. It's one measure to protect the road, but it's not going to completely end the risk of closures. It needs a multi-pronged approach.

#7 Posted by merlin on 6 Jun 2023 at 13:26 PM

£480m seems an awful lot of money for this. '

At a cost of almost £700 million, the five mile long M74 Completion project was one of the most expensive roads ever built in Scotland admittedly that was completed 12 years ago, but even so.

#8 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 6 Jun 2023 at 17:40 PM

Golden Elephant spec solution -- middle class welfare and a bit of touch labour with golden shovels.

Absolute joke -- opportunity cost is huge but what we are missing out on will never get the publicity / be discussed.

Student politicians been given the run-around by a rapacious contractor class with Civil Service collusion.

Where is the innovation / the reality check in all of this?

Sensible solution is a new road on the opposite wooded slope.

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