A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing

Feasibility Report

Document reference: 1209.035/001/0 Revision: 0 Issued: March 2013

Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

Executive Summary

A recent letter from Alan Reid MP has highlighted an issue regarding closures of the A83 at, or near, the Rest and Be Thankful. There are no signs to warn local road users travelling from either Lochgoilhead or Strachur areas when the A83 Rest & Be Thankful is closed. It has been suggested that signs could be positioned outside the villages to warn drivers of closures and save them a wasted journey, since their preferred alternative route to Glasgow would be to travel south to Dunoon and use Western Ferries.

This study was initiated to investigate the feasibility of, and options available for, providing signing on the routes out of the villages and the benefits they could provide in comparison to other means of informing road users i.e. Traffic Scotland website / radio, Customer Care Line, Twitter etc.

It was identified that there are numerous useful and reliable sources of traffic and route information available which are being used regularly by some road users. The majority of this information, however, remains available only to those who firstly, are aware of its existence and secondly, have the means and knowledge of how to access it. There remains a number of the population who may not regularly use the more modern means of communication such as internet and mobile devices and who rely more on traditional means of information from local radio, newspapers and also through word of mouth.

Installing signs in appropriate locations would provide a high visual impact and ensure that more road users are informed of closure events. This would allow them to make informed journey decisions and prevent wasted travelling time or cost. The physical presence of signing in the appropriate locations would virtually guarantee road users get the information they require whether or not they had other means of sourcing traffic or route news.

The preferred solution recommended in this report is for a phased implementation of measures. The first phase would be a letter / leaflet drop to locals. These could be posted out to target areas, informing them of the local route issues road users may face and the various options available to them for sourcing real- time traffic and route information for their area. This could potentially increase awareness of the various sources of traffic and route info (TS website, Customer care line, twitter etc.) and lead to more people using the facilities to make informed journey decisions and prevent wasted journeys.

The situation could then be monitored and should signing also be deemed necessary and budget is available then sign installations could be carried out. The recommended option for signing is a text activated sign with a variable LED sign face on the identified stretches north of both Lochgoilhead (B839) and Strachur (A815).

Installation of these signs together with a targeted leaflet / letter campaign would cover most eventualities and negate the need for any locals to undertake wasted journeys north towards the A83 at times of road closures.

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

Contents

1. Introduction ...... 4

2. Signing Options ...... 7 2.1. Sign Types ...... 7 2.2. Sign Locations ...... 10 2.3. Cost Estimates ...... 11

3. Existing sources of information for Lochgoilhead / Strachur area road users ...... 12 3.1. Traffic Scotland Info ...... 12 3.2. Others ...... 13

4. Conclusion / Options ...... 14 4.1. Conclusion ...... 14 4.2. Options ...... 14

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

List of Figures

Figure 1 - Location and Route Plan ...... 5 Figure 2 - Illustration of Fixed Plate Message sign with Flashers ...... 7 Figure 3 - Illustration of LED sign face display options ...... 8 Figure 4 - Example of LED sign face ...... 8 Figure 5 - Example of Gateway 100 VMS ...... 9 Figure 6 - B839 North of Lochgoilhead where signing could be located ...... 10 Figure 7 - A815 North of Strachur where signing could be located ...... 10 Figure 8 - Approximate costs for signing options ...... 11

Doc ref: 1209.035/001/0 - iii - Service is our passion. People, our strength. Issued: March 2013

Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

1. Introduction

1.1. Background

1.1.1. A recent letter from Alan Reid MP has highlighted an issue regarding closures of the A83 at, or near, the Rest and Be Thankful area. There are no signs to warn local road users travelling from either Lochgoilhead or Strachur areas of when the A83 Rest & Be Thankful is closed. Signs could be positioned outside the villages to warn drivers of closures and save them a wasted journey, since their preferred alternative route to Glasgow would be to travel south to Dunoon and use Western Ferries.

1.1.2. This study aims to investigate the feasibility and options available for providing signing on the routes out of the villages and the benefits they could provide in comparison to other means of informing road users i.e. Traffic Scotland website / radio, Customer Care Line, Twitter etc.

1.2. Location / Routes

1.2.1. The villages of Lochgoilhead and Strachur are shown on the location plan overleaf. Any road closures implemented on the A83 section (around Rest and Be Thankful area highlighted) can prevent traffic from these villages travelling by road (via A83 east then A82) towards Glasgow. The standard diversion route is via the A83 west, A819, A85 and A82. The alternative option of travelling south to Dunoon and taking the ferry across the Firth of Clyde and onwards to Glasgow / The south also exists. These options have the effects of increased journey time and costs for local road users.

1.2.2. The journey from Lochgoilhead (population approx. 400) North along the B839 / B828, to where it meets the A83 at Rest and Be Thankful (RBT) is approx. 9km long and typically takes around 15-20 minutes.

From Strachur (combined population with Strathlachlan is approx. 700) there are 2 route options to reach the A83:

via the A815 to A83 East of Cairndow –approx. 16.5 km taking around 20-25 minutes

via the A815 / B839 / B828 to A83 RBT – approx. 23km taking around 30-35 minutes

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

Figure 1 - Location and Route Plan

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

1.2.3. The distances and journey times involved to get to the A83 to proceed to Glasgow / The south are substantial. Due to the nature of the network here, the A83 Rest & Be Thankful area has been subject to frequent road closures in the past. Landslides, inclement weather (high ground subject to heavy snow in winter) and other incident types have all contributed to numerous road closure events. This results in inconvenience for locals from Lochgoilhead / Strachurarea who undertake their journey only to be turned back at the A83 as it is impassable.

1.2.4. If signing was in place on the roads heading north out of Lochgoilhead / Strachur it could be utilised to inform road users of any closures on the A83 (or other routes affecting their journeys). This would prevent wasted journeys on the routes discussed above and allow road users to make informed decision on alternative options. This signing could potentially be used to supplement the existing means of information currently available to road users from sources such as the Traffic Scotland website, radio, Customer Care Line, Twitter etc.

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

2. Signing Options

2.1. Sign Types

2.1.1. Text Activated Fixed Plate Message With Flashing Ambers: This type of sign could be considered for placing outside the village to inform road users of road closures. A fixed plate message “A83 Closed when lights Flash” supplemented by flashing ambers (as per the example below) could be used.

Figure 2 - Illustration of Fixed Plate Message sign with Flashers

This type of sign can be activated from the Traffic Scotland Control Centre by text message via a SIM card in the sign when required (a signal strength survey would be recommended at proposed locations as this area is known for poor coverage). It can be powered by mains supply or self-powered by solar panel and wind turbine as shown above. This is useful in areas like the routes in question where existing power supplies are less frequent.

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

2.1.2. Text Activated Sign with Variable LED sign face: Similar format to the sign above except a variable LED sign face is used instead of a fixed plate with flashers. With this sign the face remains dormant when not in use and only illuminates when activated for the relevant events. Some variability can be built into the sign face so different symbols could be employed for use in various scenarios e.g. hazard, snow flake, rock fall supplemented by text as per the examples below.

Figure 3 - Illustration of LED sign face display options

As per the fixed plate sign the variable LED can be activated from the Traffic Scotland Control Centre by text message via a SIM card in the sign. It can also be powered by mains supply or self-powered by solar panel and wind turbine. See example in photograph below.

Figure 4 - Example of LED sign face

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

2.1.3. Fully Variable VMS sign (verge mounted): If budget allows and if appropriate power sources could be found, a fully variable VMS sign could be installed on the routes out of the villages. Gateway 100/160 type or 4x6MS4 type sign could be employed. (see Gateway 100 type example below)

Figure 5 - Example of Gateway 100 VMS

These would offer the benefit of fully variable messaging for closure events on the A83 as well as use for other incident types / general information. These signs, however, are considerably more expensive and require a mains power supply meaning a potentially high installation cost and a more restrictive choice on where to site the signs.

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

2.2. Sign Locations

2.2.1. In order to inform as many road users as possible, signing could be located just outside the villages on the routes heading towards the A83. For Lochgoilhead the B839 North and for Strachur the A815 North:

Figure 6 - B839 North of Lochgoilhead where signing could be located

Figure 7 - A815 North of Strachur where signing could be located

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

The optimal locations for any proposed signs can be determined at detailed design stage where the following factors should be considered: . Site Line / Visibility . Road safety / DMRB TD19 issues . Signal Strength / comms link . Power Supply proximity (where relevant) . Location in relation to potential turning points . Environmental impact . Maintenance access;

2.3. Cost Estimates

2.3.1. The table below shoes the approximate costs that could be expected when considering different sign types for installation at the locations mentioned above:

Proposed Signing Type Design Costs Sign Costs Construction Total Cost Est. (base / TD19 / layout / Costs (for 2 No sign face/RSA etc.) sites) Text Activation Fixed £2,500 each £5,000 each £3,500 each £22,000 plate message sign with (inc jerol post, sign face, (May vary flashing ambers solar/wind power and brackets) dependant on site infrastructure required)

Text Activation Variable £3,000 each £9,000 each £3,500 each £31,000 LED sign face (inc jerol post, sign face, (May vary solar/wind power and brackets) dependant on site infrastructure required)

Fully Variable Gateway / £4,500 each £18,000 each £17,500 each £80,000 4x6 MS4 VMS sign (inc support post) (May vary dependant on site infrastructure required + power supply costs)

Figure 8 - Approximate costs for signing options

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

3. Existing sources of information for Lochgoilhead / Strachur area road users

3.1. Traffic Scotland Info

3.1.1. For the reasons highlighted previously in this report, information about driving routes for residents in the Argyll and Bute area is essential to help road users make informed decisions about their journeys. When looking at the options for erecting signs on the relevant routes it is also worth considering the other relevant sources of travel information that are available to local road users: . Traffic Scotland Website – The Traffic Scotland website provides anybody with a link to the internet access to all real time and future traffic information for Scotland. Users can view real time route specific information showing current incidents, journey times and planned works. You can also view live CCTV pictures on routes across the country as well as weather station information and forecasts.

Traffic Scotland has also launched a mobile service (m.trafficscotland.org) that allows all the real-time traffic information above to be accessed on the move. The mobile service is now accessible on a wide range of internet enabled mobile devices, including smartphones and tablet devices. . Traffic Scotland Radio - The Traffic Scotland internet radio service provides frequent national traffic and travel information bulletins focussed on the strategic motorway and trunk road networks streamed over the internet. The service is available through the Traffic Scotland desktop and mobile websites as well as the joint Traveline Scotland/Traffic Scotland smartphone apps on iPhone, Android, Windows Phone and the latest BlackBerry platforms. . RSS / Twitter - Traffic Scotland provide RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Feeds to allow you to grab the latest traffic information for the trunk road network in a way that is best suited to your needs. Twitter is a social networking / micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages, known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts limited to 140 characters. Feeds are available on current incidents, roadworks and planned roadworks. . Traffic Customer Care Line - Transport Scotland provides a 24 hour Traffic Customer Care Line dedicated phone service. The Traffic Customer Care Line operators have access to the Traffic Scotland Web Site and can provide this information over the phone to the caller. Through this service users will be able to access traffic information whilst on the move giving them the power to plan and manage their journey to greater effect.

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

All of these services could be utilised by road users from the Lochgoilhead and Strachur areas to obtain information on A83 closure events as well as other routes further afield.

3.1.2. Further to these services above, Traffic Scotland regularly re-tweet other relevant travel information. One example of this particularly relevant to this report is the re-tweeting of information on the Firth of Clyde ferry services.

3.1.3. To give an indication of how many people are accessing this type of information, below are some figures obtained for the Numbers of Traffic Scotland regional reports that have been downloaded.

For the Argyll and Bute area both the Highland and Strathclyde regional reports have been deemed as relevant to road users in this area: . Traffic Scotland Regional reports downloaded for October 2012; Region 1.mp3 = Highlands – 1,954

Region 5.mp3 = Strathclyde – 2,852 . Traffic Scotland Regional reports downloaded for November 2012; Region 1.mp3 = Highlands – 1,401

Region 5.mp3 = Strathclyde – 4,383 . Traffic Scotland Regional reports downloaded for December 2012; Region 1.mp3 = Highlands – 4,844

Region 5 mp3 = Strathclyde – 6,628

3.2. Others

3.2.1. Other relevant sources of travel information for the area are the Argyll and Bute Council and Oban times twitter accounts. A&B Council Twitter account (Followers 3964), and Oban Times (Followers – 2346) regularly Re-tweet Traffic Scotland info. These are the two Argyll & Bute organisation’s with the highest amount of twitter followers.

3.2.2. As well as national radio traffic route announcements the area is served by two local radio stations (Argyll FM and Dunoon community radio) which both provide the latest news on traffic, route, ferry service and weather related matters.

3.2.3. In relatively small communities such as Lochgoilhead and Strachur news of events such as road closures is often spread through word of mouth with neighbours and community bodies letting others know of any issues which may affect them.

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

4. Conclusion / Options

4.1. Conclusion

4.1.1. As detailed above, there are numerous useful and reliable sources of traffic and route information available which are being used regularly and effectively by some road users. The majority of this information, however, remains available only to those who are firstly, aware of its existence and secondly, have the means and knowledge of how to access it.

There remains a number of the population who may not regularly use the more modern means of communication such as internet and mobile devices and who rely more on traditional means of information from newspapers, local radio and also through word of mouth.

4.1.2. Providing signs as mentioned in section 2 of this report would provide information with a high visual impact in an appropriate location and ensure that more road users are informed of closure events. This allows them to make informed journey decisions and prevent any wasted travelling time or cost.

The physical presence of signing in the appropriate locations would virtually guarantee road users get the information they require whether or not they had other means of sourcing traffic or route news.

4.2. Options

Do nothing – Spend nothing on any measures and leave the situation as it is currently. As the existing status has already been highlighted as unsatisfactory, doing nothing to address the issues is not recommended.

Do something – Carry out a leaflet / letter drop throughout the relevant areas (Lochgoilhead, Strachur, Strathlachlan etc.). Leaflets / letters could be posted out to locals informing them of the local route issues they may face and the various options available to them for sourcing traffic and route information for their area. This could potentially increase awareness of the various sources of traffic and route info (TS website, Customer care line, twitter etc.) and lead to more people using the facilities to make informed journey decisions and prevent wasted journeys.

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Project Name: A83 Rest and Be Thankful Closure Signing Document Title: 1209.035/001/0

Preferred Solution –A phased approach of measures: - Initially, the leaflet / letter drop could be carried out in the target areas and on completion the situation could be monitored. Consultation could take place with locals, councillors, MP’s and community bodies for feedback on whether this exercise is sufficient or if new signs would also be deemed necessary. Should this be the case, and if budget were available, the installation of new signs could go ahead.

In terms of benefits and value for money we would recommend the option shown in section 2.1.2 - A Text Activated Sign with Variable LED sign face on the identified stretches north of both Lochgoilhead (B839) and Strachur (A815).

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