ARGYLL and Bute Council’s leader is calling for an early meeting of the A83 taskforce group following another landslide which has closed the road on Monday 19 November.

The group is due to meet on 14 December but Councillor Roddy McCuish says more urgent action is required, “I am hugely disappointed we were promised by the Scottish Government  the temporary alternative route would be in place by November and that has not happened. It has now been promised this will be in place by the end of January but how many more times will Argyll and Bute be effectively cut off before then?

“We need a permanent fail safe solution to keep the A83 open at the Rest and Be Thankful so Argyll and Bute can carry on as normal even when bad weather hits the area. Our businesses and people living here suffer every time the main route into Argyll and Bute is closed.

“A meeting with the Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon over a passenger and vehicle ferry between Dunoon and Gourock has been cancelled in Dunoon because the ferries have been cancelled and the A83 is shut. This further shows the fragility of Argyll and Bute’s transport links.

“The Scottish Government must ensure there is a permanent solution found for these problems and a funding programme pulled together quickly for delivery and brought forward as soon as possible.”