LD 143 Deceptively calm

I drove home tonight via the Old Military Road, which is the diversion in place for the still closed Rest and Be Thankful on the A83.

Having this - something I fought hard for almost a decade ago when the landslips  became more noticeable and disruptive  - makes a difference because the alternative is a 60 mile detour or coming to Cowal via the Western Ferries which is not always convenient.

However the mitigations and temporary solutions have not produced - as indeed they were never intended to produce - a long term resolution and this week I think we are a significant  step nearer that , though alas as the result of  the biggest landslip yet on the road.

The scale of what happened 9 days ago is clear as you approach the site and get glimpses of the bare earth and mud high up on the slope yet from underneath it is even more apparent.  Not only has the debris reached all the way down to the glen floor , but looking up you can see  the undermining of the actual carriageway and down the hillside from that point there appears to be a deep gash  that has been created in the mudslide, presumably by subsequent flows of water and earth.  

This evening the weather was wonderful and the landscape beautiful.   But that is deceptive.   The slides are getting larger , probably as a result of both an  increased frequency and an increased intensity of rainfall.   The First Minister indicated at FMQs  yesterday that there is now a clear acceptance that a new road will have to be built to replace this section which is in the wrong place at the wrong time.  

On Monday I signed a joint letter with the Council Leader, the heads of the council political groups , the neighbouring Labour MSP and the lead Tory list MSP indicating the united and unanimous view that there needs to be a clear timescale agreed for this replacement and suggesting a period of a maximum of three years from now.  

Meanwhile mitigation work must continue to ensure maximum protection and safety and maximum guaranteed opening.   

Not all days are like last Tuesday, when we had over 70mm of rain in Glendaruel and this spot had over 100.   But not all days are like today either, with the sun shining and not a breath of wind.   

So we have to get on with the task of solving this for the sake of all my fellow citizens in Argyll & Bute.