Hopes to reopen landslip-hit A83 Rest and Be Thankful

A detour is in place while engineers work to clear the pass in the Argyll hills

Contractors hope to clear the remaining debris from a 2,000 tonne landslip on the A83 and reopen the road at the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll.

Bear Scotland said work to clear the road resumed at 07:00 on Thursday and they hoped to have it open later.

The operation is focused on stabilising hillside slopes and removing large boulders which pose a danger.

The Old Military Road diversion route has been used as a detour for traffic since the A83 closed on Tuesday.

This adds between 15 and 45 minutes to journey times between Tarbet and Inveraray.

'Saturated conditions'

The A83 was closed at the Rest and Be Thankful after days of heavy rain dislodged rocks and earth.

More than 2,000 tonnes of debris came loose. A special fence successfully held back more than 1,200 tonnes, including boulders the size of a car.

Contractor Bear Scotland said: "It is currently targeted to reopen the road in late afternoon with safety barriers in place and under traffic signal control as a precautionary measure.

"Safety barrier and temporary traffic signals have also been installed overnight at A83 Glen Kinglas, west of the Rest and be Thankful, at the site of a further landslide.

"This is a precautionary measure at present given the saturated conditions on the hillside and the risk of further debris flows."

Thousands of tonnes of debris was dislodged from the hillside at the Rest and Be Thankful