We have received the following information from Transport Scotland.
‘A number of mitigation measures have been implemented following the slippage, including Traffic Management remaining onsite, erecting Floodlights in the landslip area, installing tilt meters to observe the hillside above the roadside and instigating patrols of the hillside in the event of a deterioration in the forecast weather conditions whilst ensuring a heightened level of monitoring remains.
‘Further to these actions work continues to identify further measures to mitigate against the impact of landslides wherever they occur on our network. The landslide at the Rest and be Thankful has come under particular scrutiny and information is available on the Transport Scotland’s Rest and be Thankful website page.
Graham Edmond, Head of Road Maintenance at Transport Scotland says: ‘Transport Scotland fully understands the impact landslides can have on communities and we continue to plan for and manage the risk associated with them across Scotland.
‘Around the Rest and be thankful in particular, we are looking at protective netting, shelters and the potential for planting on the hillside. The improvement and strengthening of the nearby forestry road, as an emergency alternative, is also being investigated as discussed at previous meetings.’
So that’s all right then! As a regular user of this road I am not impressed, the recent poor weather has seen me frequently stopped right in the path of danger by the “traffic management” system together with several others. At least with the lights we would have seen the avalanche coming at us. When first installed they did a great job blinding me as I approached.
Could anyone explain the risk management here? Why one lane? Surely if there is still the possibility of another slide it is less riskier to keep traffic moving and therefore in the danger zone for the least possible time.
As for the “diversion” on closure that was imposed during darkness, did anyone factor in the “risk” of driving the additional 20 odd miles at night on not the best of roads plus the risk of some drivers desperately trying to get to Tarbet before the road closed.
I am still at a loss how to respond correctly to the flashing warning lights, perhaps some statistician could advise on the optimal response that would maximise my chances of survival. Driving in Argyll is getting very, very complicated.
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
David: From what’s been said, and what is visible, it would appear tht the hazard is not of rocks falling on the road, rather of a tide of stones, earth and slop flowing down onto it – and it’s this that drivers should be keeping a lookout for. It’s this that has prompted the barricading of one side of the road, and the provision of floodlights.
It would appear that a landslip is considered imminent (hence the ongoing activation of the flashing warning lights) and yesterday there were visible cracks around a slab of hillside just above the road, approaching the temporary lights from the Arrochar side.
If the Rest is closed due to the degree of hazard, just how the risks associated with the diversion route compare with the landslip risks are unclear. It’s reasonable to assume that the highway authority has produced a risk assessment taking into account the very poor quality of the first stretch of the diversion north of Tarbet, and the considerable risk of snow disruption on the diversion route. It would be interesting to see this risk assessment. There’s also the question of what you do driving up the Rest approaching the temporary traffic lights at red in heavy snow – ignore them if nothing’s coming, or risk getting stuck?
Like or Dislike:
1 
1
Interesting. How much longer will it take for Transport Scotland/the Scottish government to make solid plans for the construction of avalanche/landslide galleries that protect the road while allowing debris to flow down the hill? Planting is a good idea but it will take years if not decades for the roots to be able to grip and stabilise the material in motion. Other countries have long resorted to the solution of galleries in areas where the slope is just right for landslips but not right for a road to be cut into the hillside.
A “maxi solution”, I suppose, would be to dig a tunnel under the Cobbler – about equivalent to what the Swiss are doing for the rail link in the Gotthard massif of the Alps.
The UK lags soooooo far behind in terms of public transport, so many wasted opportunities to provide jobs, improve connections, improve safety, livelihoods, prospects…
Like or Dislike:
2 
0