Rest and Be Thankful: New £1.1m debris catch-pit on A83

The new catch-pit has been built between the A83 and nearby hillside

A pit to catch debris from landslides has been completed at a cost of £1.1m on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll.

The area in a glen near Arrochar is infamous for landslips, road closures and long diversions.

Transport Scotland said the 120m (394ft) long, 12m (39ft) wide catch-pit was capable of holding about 4,500 tonnes of rock and mud.

It is one of series of pits being constructed in the area.

• The infamous road through 'a mountain in torment'

Together the catch-pits will have the potential to store a combined total of almost 20,000 tonnes of debris from landslides coming down on the nearby hillside.

The A83 has been subject to frequent landslips, most recently in 2020

Construction of the recently completed catch-pit began in September last year following an initial clear-up of major slides in the area in 2020.

Earlier this year, the preferred route to replace the landslide-hit section of the A83 was announced.

Transport Scotland had consulted on 11 "route corridor options" to improve travel through the area.

A route through Glen Croe near the existing road was identified.