Road crews on alert as heavy rain threatens the Rest and Be Thankful and Central Belt

Road operator BEAR Scotland has alerted its workforce to potential landslides following forecasts of heavy rain.

The Rest and Be Thankful

A yellow warning has been issued by the Met Office for parts of Scotland from 03:00 on Monday until 09:00 on Tuesday.

The warning covers much of the Central Belt, including Edinburgh, west Highlands, Argyll, southwest Scotland, and Fife as heavy downpours are predicted by the Met Office.

A yellow warning is issued when weather experts believe that there is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded and potential disruption, delays or cancellations to train and bus services along with difficult driving conditions. Flooding and spray may also hamper drivers, leading to longer journey times.

As a precaution, the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll – which has suffered a string of landslips in recent years – will be closed from 18:00 on Sunday. A diversion on the Old Military Road will be used until the threat has passed and engineers have inspected the A83.

Eddie Ross of BEAR Scotland said: "The weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday indicates that heavy rainfall is expected, which could have an impact on the hillside situated above the A83.

"We continue to implement a safety-first approach and have taken the decision to close the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful from 6pm this evening with all traffic diverted via the Old Military Road through the glen.

"Our geotechnical team will monitor conditions throughout Monday and Tuesday with a view to reopening the A83 once the weather front has passed and following a thorough safety inspection."

Met Office yellow warning map

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