RBT Appendix 1
Argyll and Bute Council · 18 December 2025
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 18 December 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Fiona Hyslop MSP Cabinet Secretary for Transport Transport Scottish Government, St Andrew`s House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG 24 September 2025 Dear Cabinet Secretary, A83 Rest And Be Thankful We understand that following the meeting held in Inveraray to discuss the economic, and social impact of the proposed convoy and traffic management system on the Old Military Road during the 4-year closure of the Rest And Be Thankful, that Jenni Minto MSP has been in contact with both yourself and the First Minister’s office to convey the strength of feeling that exists among businesses in Argyll & Bute. We the undersigned, also wish to put on record the grave concerns that we have about the introduction of convoy and traffic management on the OMR, and the economic damage that would have. You will be aware that an extremely broad section of stakeholders were present at the Inveraray meeting, including parliamentarians, local councillors, Argyll & Bute Council, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Mid- Argyll Chamber of Commerce, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, the Federation of Small Business, the National Farmers Union of Scotland, The Road Haulage Association, and independent ferry operators. Also in attendance were representatives of Argyll & Bute’s construction industry, the aquaculture sector, the fishing and shellfish industries, public transport providers, forestry, road haulage industry, aggregate quarrying, the voluntary sector, renewable energy, as well as our hugely important tourism sector. While we are relieved that a long-term solution for the Rest And Be Thankful has been identified, we are unanimous in our belief that having the main arterial route into Argyll & Bute reduced to a single carriageway, and accessible only by a convoy system and traffic lights for 4 years, would be economically catastrophic for Argyll & Bute. Telephone: 01436 670 587 Email: brendan.ohara.mp@parliament.uk
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Every sector of our economy would be adversely affected by this proposal, and many businesses, both large and small have collated evidence of the negative economic impact that this proposal would have on them. They are more than happy to share those figures with you and your colleagues at Transport Scotland. We ask that as a matter of urgency, you reconsider this proposal and that any work on the Rest And Be Thankful which would necessitate the closure of the existing carriageways, does not begin until an alternative is found; an alternative which guarantees the free flow of traffic into, and out of Argyll, without recourse to either a convoy or traffic lights. We look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Brendan O’Hara MP Argyll, Bute & South Lochaber Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)