Civils firm eases road pain

THE contractor appointed to a controversial road project on the banks of Loch Lomond has come up with a proposal to slash the planned 14-week full closure to less than a week.

Northern Ireland civil engineering firm McLaughlin and Harvey Ltd, which in February was awarded the contract for the £11m Pulpit Rock improvement on the A82 in Argyll, has developed an alternative that will see most of the closure planned from October 1 replaced by overnight working. Now Transport Scotland is consulting businesses and commuters before putting the plan into action.
The contractor’s approach would mean night shifts for two weeks in June, five weeks in July and August, and other short periods until spring 2014. During those periods, the road would re-open to traffic each day.
Transport minister Keith Brown said he expected to make an announcement in May after the consultation is completed.