THE private owner of the diversion road used when the A83 closes has been paid more than £2.3 million by the Scottish Government since 2012.
The Rest and be Thankful has been blighted by landslips in recent years, forcing ministers to explore long and medium-term fixes.
Last year, it was agreed a shelter would be built above the road to protect it and passing cars from debris caused by landslides, while a medium-term solution will see cars use the adjacent Old Military Road.
It has now been revealed that from 2012 until 2024, the owner of Glen Croe farm and the Old Military Road has been paid £2,388,915.75.
Information obtained by a Freedom of Information (FOI) request says the sum had been paid to the owner for “the use of the road, the road being in a state of readiness for use, stock movements and an annual payment”.
In the same timeframe, the owner has also been paid £52,486.12 for general repairs, maintenance and upkeep of the road.
The FOI also shows that the road has been closed for the majority of this year, with it only open on 29 separate days between January 1, 2024 to September 26.
It was recently revealed that the Scottish Government has spent £16 million in less than four years on design and assessment for work on the stretch of road.
The A83, which connects Arrochar and Inveraray, has been deemed “impassable, unsafe or otherwise out of action”.
It has been closed to two-way traffic since August 2020, with an exception of no more than a few months.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The design work for delivering a long-term solution to the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful is being progressed at pace with a view to publishing draft Orders by the end of this year,.
“At the same time, we are progressing our plans to increase the resilience of the temporary diversion route along the Old Military Road. When completed, this work will increase the resilience of the temporary diversion route by reducing the likelihood of landslides impacting it.
“These improvements will mean more certainty for locals and road users if the A83 has to shut due to adverse weather conditions and reduce the use of the alternative longer diversion route, via Crianlarich.”
