(17.30 Update: reopened) The A83 is is currently closed in both directions between Lochgilphead and Inveraray – because of an operation to recover a heavy goods vehicle.
Drivers are advised to expect a longer journey time, with diversions operating for westbound traffic via the A83 at Inveraray onto the A819 – then to the A85 following until Oban onto the A816 then rejoining the A83 after Lochgilphead.
The eastbound diversion is the reverse of this.
We understand that the incident is at Port Ann, just south of Lochgair, so local traffic ib both directions – for between Inveraray and Lochgair and between Lochgilphead and Achnaba – must be being allowed through the barriers.
15.00 Update:It is being said locally that it will be 17.00 before the road is reopened.
Apparently the blockage is between lochgair and lochgilphead, so local access as far as lochgair is possible from the inveraray side. As usual, Traffic Scotland don’t seem to appreciate that the 24-mile stretch of the road that is closed is more than just a through-route.
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I think of this stretch as a north-south one. Not, as Traffic Scotland describe – an east-west one.
Just me, or do others think like-wise? I’d have found it more helpful if the diversions and closures were expressed in such North-South terms. Calling it east-west is confusing – and potentially misleading – in my view.
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Glad you said this, Mairi – because so do we. When we’d written that Port Ann was south of Lochgair, we did a bit of sucking of teeth and decided to leave it the commonsense way.
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Southwest-Northeast is about spot-on, but a bit more of a mouthful…
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We decided to go with the general fall of the land – which may well be a cover for having no sense of direction.
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I was told once that Traffic Scotland just work in blocks of road so it is quite possible they just just class as a problem between Inveraray and Lochgilphead without bothering to identify any closer.
This often creates problem in Fort William when the VMS on the Southbound A82 says that the A82 South is closed when the closure is down around Glencoe and so Corran, Onich etc are all quite accessible.
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Well,
I arrived from the north just after the road was closed at 1300 with three of us and a dog in the car and an appointment to honour. We were not diverted at Inveraray (approx 1230) but on arrival at the crash site were informed it would be one to five hours closure – really helpful. Diverted at great risk to suspension and nerves via the forest trail to L Awe and of course missed the appointment.
Presumably the 1300 926 bus from Lochgilphead to Glasgow and later services in both directions were affected? Is it really acceptable to inflict this torture on passengers for the convenience of a recovery team? Why was the diversion not properly managed?
Who authorises closure of a trunk road during peak hours? Who do they have to consult with and who could block this senseless decision? The vehicle was quite likely written off and could have been cut up on the spot at leisure. There was no danger to passing traffic so why the rush to block the road. Was it carrying a dangerous cargo that we’re not allowed to know about?
Really angry!
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That bus was affected – I know someone on it who gave up, went home and then caught the 16.36 bus. The truck that went into the ditch appears to have damaged a telecoms cable chamber, and there were traffic lights there on saturday 8th but no signs of activity, so completing repairs and fully reopening the road obviously wasn’t considered particularly urgent.
I don’t understand why the the diversion involved going all the way around by Loch Awe – a blockage at Port Anne could involve a much shorter diversion direct to the back of Lochgilphead, unless there were timber harvesting operations in that area.
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Thank Robert.
The recommended diversion was via Oban! As I’d already wasted 30 mins from Inveraray, I gave the forest trail a go – never been on it before but know people who have used it.
I’m familiar with some of the trails behind Lochgilphead, but the surface is poor in places and chains are sometimes put across. Forest trail was surprisingly good.
It’s incomprehensible that the road would be closed right in front of a lifeline bus service. Come on, who made this decision?
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