Backlash over ‘jaw-dropping’ £19.5m spend on Rest and Be Thankful consultancy fees

The A83 has not been open to two-way traffic, for more than a few months, since August 2020, with regular diversions made onto the 270-year-old single-track Old Military Road when it rains.

Scottish Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle said: “Just like the A9 and A96, the SNP government is splashing jaw-dropping sums of money on endless feasibility studies and consultants when the public want spades in the ground.

“It’s clear the SNP are dragging their heels on delivering long-term solutions to the Rest and Be Thankful, costing the taxpayer millions in the process.

“Despite astronomical sums being spent on consultancy fees, it’s disgraceful that locals still don’t have a road that can be driven on when it rains.

“As we have seen over the winter, the problems on the Rest and Be Thankful are getting worse, not better. Therefore, questions must be asked about whether these consultancy fees are value for money.

“These constant closures are causing misery for hauliers, motorists and isolated residents. They want radical solutions to tackle the growing landslide problem, not perpetual talking shops.”

Former Argyll and Bute councillor Donald Kelly, who, alongside still serving councillor Dougie Philand, submitted a petition to the Scottish Government requesting a public inquiry into the financial management of the Rest and Be Thankful project, has described the consultancy costs as “unacceptable”.

The petition, which remains live, was last considered by the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee in the Scottish Parliament in November.

Speaking this week, Mr Kelly said: “The resilience measures currently installed at a cost of approximately £100 million are not working. To spend another approximately £40 million on the Old Military Road, which will still in many places be single-lane, to save approximately 10 minutes on your journey time is just bonkers. 

“On top of this, the astronomical amount of money which is being spent on consultants is totally unacceptable.

“The amount of public money which has been and is currently being wasted requires to be investigated, hence our further request for a full public enquiry into this project.

“We are delighted that the committee has agreed to keep our petition live. It’s also encouraging that members picked up on a number of key points from our most recent submission and have asked the cabinet secretary Fiona Hyslop to attend a future meeting to address them.

“I have asked for a proposed date when we would see a permanent solution delivered and they will not commit to this.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is working on the delivery of a long-term solution to the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful and in December we made further progress by publishing draft orders required to secure the land for the long-term solution and future phases of the medium-term solution to provide an improved diversionary route along the Old Military Road.  

“The investment to date for mitigation measures, such as catch pits, have kept the road open when previously it would have been closed for considerable periods of time.

“The landslip prone area requires complex solutions and the total spent to date reflects the extensive appraisal and assessment needed to inform the detailed design work for both solutions and the extent of the work needed to address the complexity and challenges involved in completing the scheme. Only £44,000 was spent on an audit of the environmental assessment and not what has been claimed.

“We recognise that the timescales involved are frustrating for local residents, businesses and communities and we continue to work with them to ensure that Argyll and Bute remains open for business throughout the works. However, we also need to ensure we get the right solutions of the correct standard in the correct place.”