Access to Argyll and Bute (A83) Public Consultation on Route Corridor Options Consultation Report A83AAB-JAC-GEN-ZZ_ZZ-RP-ZH-0003|C02 01/03/21 Transport Scotland TS/MTRIPS/SER/2018/11 Report Template Transport Scotland Access to Argyll and Bute (A83) Consultation Report Access to Argyll and Bute (A83) Project No: A83AAB Document Title: Public Consultation on Route Corridor Options Consultation Report Document No.: A83AAB-JAC-GEN-ZZ_ZZ-RP-ZH-0003 Revision: C02 Document Status: A1 – Accepted - Brief Date: 01/03/21 Client Name: Transport Scotland Client No: TS/MTRIPS/SER/2018/11 Project Manager: David Robertson Author: Ian Thompson File Name: A83AAB-JAC-GEN-ZZ_ZZ-RP-ZH-0003 Jacobs U.K. Limited 95 Bothwell Street Glasgow, Scotland G2 7HX United Kingdom T +44 (0)141 243 8000 F +44 (0)141 226 3109 www.jacobs.com © Crown copyright 2021. You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ or e-mail: [email protected]. Limitation: This report has been prepared on behalf of, and for the exclusive use of Jacobs’ Client, and is subject to, and issued in accordance with, the provisions of the contract between Jacobs and the Client. Jacobs accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for, or in respect of, any use of, or reliance upon, this report by any third party. Document history and status Revision Date Description Author Checked Reviewed Approved C01 17/02/21 Issued to Transport Scotland I.T. C.R. S.H. D.R. C02 01/03/21 Issued to Transport Scotland for F.P. S.H. D.R. D.R. Publication 1 Access to Argyll and Bute (A83) Consultation Report Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Purpose of the Consultation ............................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Publicising the Consultation ............................................................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Response Channels ................................................................................................................................................................ 6 2. Groups and Organisations that Responded to the Consultation ............................................................... 8 2.1 Number of Responses ........................................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Feedback Received by Respondent Type ...................................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Feedback Received by Location ........................................................................................................................................ 9 3. How We Analysed Your Feedback ................................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Feedback Submissions ‘Coding’ ..................................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 What Coding Involves ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.3 Use of Numbers and Charts in the Report.................................................................................................................. 11 4. Views on Route Corridor Options .................................................................................................................... 13 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2 Opinions on the Route Corridor Options .................................................................................................................... 13 4.3 Key Benefits and Concerns in Relation to the Route Corridor Options .......................................................... 16 4.4 Benefits Identified in Relation to Route Corridor Options ................................................................................... 16 4.5 Concerns in Relation to the Route Corridor Options ............................................................................................. 18 4.6 Concerns About Feasibility and Effectiveness .......................................................................................................... 19 4.7 Impacts on Communities and the Environment ...................................................................................................... 21 4.8 Specific Feedback on Route Corridor Options .......................................................................................................... 22 4.9 Suggested Amendments to the Route Corridor Options ..................................................................................... 22 5. Views on the Scheme (or need for improvements) Overall ...................................................................... 25 5.2 Priorities and Considerations for the Scheme Overall........................................................................................... 25 5.3 Suggestions ............................................................................................................................................................................ 30 5.4 Comments on Issues Currently Affecting the A83 Trunk Road ......................................................................... 32 5.5 Other Comments .................................................................................................................................................................. 32 6. Comments on the Consultation Process ....................................................................................................... 34 6.1 Consultation and Engagement Questions ................................................................................................................. 34 6.2 Methods of Communication ............................................................................................................................................ 34 6.3 Consultation Materials and Information ..................................................................................................................... 34 6.4 Suggestions for Future Communications ................................................................................................................... 35 6.5 Other Comments and Concerns ..................................................................................................................................... 36 7. Responses to Questions and Issues Raised .................................................................................................. 38 8. Conclusion and Next Steps ............................................................................................................................... 48 8.1 Summary of the Consultation Process ........................................................................................................................ 48 8.2 Summary of Feedback Received .................................................................................................................................... 48 8.3 Next Steps ............................................................................................................................................................................... 49 2 Access to Argyll and Bute (A83) Consultation Report Appendix A - Consultation information and corridor options Appendix B - Email to Stakeholders Appendix C - Social Media Coverage Appendix D - Press Release Issued 23 September 2020 - Public asked for input on eleven options for new access to Argyll and Bute Appendix E - Feedback Form Appendix F – Emerging Issues and Themes website update November 2020 Appendix G – Analysis Codeframe Appendix H – Additional Data Tables 3 Access to Argyll and Bute (A83) Consultation Report 1. Introduction 1.1 Background 1.1.1 Following recent landslide events in August 2020 at the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83 Trunk Road, one of which was the largest recorded in the area, Jacobs / AECOM was commissioned by Transport Scotland to undertake a Strategic Environmental Appraisal (SEA) and provide preliminary engineering support services (PES) as the equivalent of a Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Stage 1 Assessment to identify a preferred corridor for access to Argyll and Bute. This will review the problems and opportunities relating to the existing A82, A83, A85 and A828 Trunk Roads and consider various corridor options, including the existing A83 Trunk Road corridor. 1.1.2 The A83 Trunk Road is one of only two east-west strategic trunk road network connections between Argyll and Bute and the Central Belt. Accidents or incidents (e.g. roadworks, landslips, flooding) occurring on any part