Transport Scotland has announced its intention to appoint Atkins WSP Joint Venture to a £25m contract to progress design and development work for medium and long-term solutions for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful.
The route is frequently blocked by landslides, despite repeated and ongoing works to protect it.
In March, Transport Scotland said it had invited five consultants to tender for the next stage of the project, with options for the preferred long-term solution route at Glen Croe submitted by Arcadis/Sweco Ove Arup & Fairhurst; Atkins/WSP; Stantec/RPS Consulting Services; and Jacobs/Aecom under consideration.
Transport Scotland said the £25m cited represents an estimate of the overall contract value for undertaking the design, promotion, procurement and construction supervision of medium and long-term solutions.
The cost of the eventual works is not yet known. In the meantime, maintenance of the road remains the responsibility of Bear Scotland, which this month began a new contract maintaining the trunk road network in north west Scotland.
Looking down Glen Croe from the Rest and Be Thankful, with the A83 on the hillside
Transport minister Jenny Gilruth said: ‘It is clear that the Rest and Be Thankful needs an urgent solution, which will bring certainty to the lives of those directly impacted when the A83 is cut off.
‘This investment from Scottish Government represents a significant milestone because it will allow the vital design work needed to commence at pace.’
She added: ‘Ministers share the urgency communities and businesses place on maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route, which is why we are progressing measures for the short, medium and long term in tandem.
‘We will bring forward proposals for the medium term by the end of this year, with an announcement on the preferred route option for the long term by Spring 2023.’
