Comment posted A83: 11th and 12th August – final debris clearance from recent landslide by Robert Wakeham.
This photograph illustrates one point of difference between this section of the A83 and any self-respecting forestry road on a similar hillside; the forestry road will almost always have quite a substantial continuous ditch on the uphill side, whereas the A83 doesn’t. Yes there are culverts where there are watercourses, but we all now know that this isn’t sufficient, they can get choked by debris off the hill and the next thing the muck and water are all over the road and both flowing down it and over the opposite edge. The Scotland Transerv report on potential emergency diversion routes notes, on page 10, the ‘very effective open ditch system’ on the forestry track. It goes on to make the point that this helps to ensure that wherever water pours off the hill it doesn’t saturate the ‘unbound pavement’ of the track.
The A83 is fully paved, but given that the design of this ‘new’ section of the road dates from back in the 1930′s, whereas the vast majority of forestry roads are much more recent and their design embodies experience learnt the hard way, I wonder just how much a really hefty ditch (combined with adequate culverts) might have reduced the disruption caused by landslips in recent years?
Recent comments by Robert Wakeham
- Radically new council group changes all the dynamics: party politics dead in Argyll
Surely party politics are national politics, dealing with national issues, and as such can often get in the way of resolving the local authority issues that councillors are elected to deal with. - Radically new council group changes all the dynamics: party politics dead in Argyll
Thinking of ornithological similes, the behaviour of the Argyll & Bute body politic brings to mind the story of the fabled Oozlum Bird – the one that flew in ever decreasing circles….. - Transport Scotland publishes shortlist for one A82 contract and starts another
Good news for Crianlarich, and – at last – signs of movement on the long and disgraceful history of central government’s gross neglect of the A82 ‘trunk’ road along the northern shore of Loch Lomond. - One of world’s top minds on radar wins AF Harvey Prize
Reading this I couldn’t help thinking of the analogy with the development of a tracking system to keep tabs on the activities of Argyll & Bute councillors – but I fear that would be way beyond the ingenuity of even the most fertile scientific brains. - Peace Pilgrimage going through Crinan Canal now, en route for Faslane
Promoting Peace, Simon? – wouldn’t the automatic disqualification of councillors who put national party politics before their council responsibilities be more effective?
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This photograph illustrates one point of difference between this section of the A83 and any self-respecting forestry road on a similar hillside; the forestry road will almost always have quite a substantial continuous ditch on the uphill side, whereas the A83 doesn’t. Yes there are culverts where there are watercourses, but we all now know that this isn’t sufficient, they can get choked by debris off the hill and the next thing the muck and water are all over the road and both flowing down it and over the opposite edge. The Scotland Transerv report on potential emergency diversion routes notes, on page 10, the ‘very effective open ditch system’ on the forestry track. It goes on to make the point that this helps to ensure that wherever water pours off the hill it doesn’t saturate the ‘unbound pavement’ of the track.
The A83 is fully paved, but given that the design of this ‘new’ section of the road dates from back in the 1930′s, whereas the vast majority of forestry roads are much more recent and their design embodies experience learnt the hard way, I wonder just how much a really hefty ditch (combined with adequate culverts) might have reduced the disruption caused by landslips in recent years?
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