Transport Minister Keith Brown warned yesterday there could be more travel misery ahead for motorists after a major landslip caused chaos on a notorious stretch of road.
The warning came as the minister was accused of treating Argyll with contempt for allegedly not doing enough to prevent the slides that have severed the vital transport link seven times in five years.
Around 100 tonnes of debris spilled onto the A83 Tarbet to Kintyre road in the Rest and be Thankful area following torrential rain.
The road was closed for around 11 hours before being reopened at 6pm last night.
A new emergency diversion route, which opened in February to combat the persistent closures, was useless because the latest slip happened in a new spot just west of its junction.
Argyll MP Alan Reid, Lib Dem, said: “The Scottish Government was warned eight years ago about the risk of a landslide at this location, but nothing appears to have been done.
“It’s high time the SNP Government started treating the threat to the Argyll economy from landslides seriously and carried out landslide prevention work at all the stretches identified as being at risk.
“Eight years without action is treating Argyll with contempt. Urgent action is required to stop landslides happening again.”
Car drivers faced a 70-mile diversion via Inveraray and Tyndrum, but HGV drivers were forced to take a 140-mile diversion via Oban as the A819 Inverary to Dalmally road is not suitable for large vehicles.
Fears were raised about future closures after further heavy rain was predicted for Argyll overnight and this morning.
Transport Minister Mr Brown said: “Much of the mitigation works we have undertaken so far, the netting that has been put in and the old military road being brought up to scratch, is not applicable at this site.
“This was a low risk area identified by geologists and local people who say it is a long time since there has been a slip there.
“I hear there might the possibility of further landslips.
“There was an extraordinary amount of rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.
“You cannot stop landslips in a country like Scotland. The clear priority is keeping Argyll open for business.”
Argyll and Bute Council leader, Councillor Dick Walsh, said the council has written to Transport Scotland in the wake of the landslip and said: “The people who visit, live and work in Argyll and Bute
depend on these lifeline routes and we need to ensure that they are able to continue to go about their business.”