Sign for A83.

by **WeeTownWeeYin** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 9:50 pm

http://forargyll.com/2011/12/argyll-fir ... run-sweet/

by **Kintyre Forum News** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 11:30 pm

WeeTownWeeYin wrote:http://forargyll.com/2011/12/argyll-first-to-campaign-for-full-a83-trunking-support-them-and-see-argylls-volga-run-sweet/

I spent a bit of time writing an article on this but don't see the point in spending anymore time on it when we can simply point everyone to ForArgyll. Again :wink:

From http://forargyll.com/2011/12/argyll-fir ... run-sweet/

Argyll First to campaign for full A83 trunking – support them and see Argyll’s Volga run sweet

Anyway, here is the article from For Argyll on

This is a campaign that should unite Argyll and the Isles – led by the Argyll First group of councillors whose group and manifesto has always aimed to do just that.

Councillors Donald Kelly from South Kintyre, John McAlpine from Kintyre and the Isles and Dougie Philand from Mid Argyll came together to form the group to set a new benchmark for local politics in Argyll. Whatever the party of choice for which its members individually vote, together they put the interests of the whole of Argyll first. They represent their constituencies vigorously but whatever decisions they take are not made from protective parochial interests but in the greater interest of Argyll.

Now the group is leading a campaign for Argyll – to see Argyll’s arterial A83 upgraded to a trunk road for its entire length from Tarbet on Loch Lomond to Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre.
The campaign statement

The Argyll First group says: ‘Argyll First Councillors have campaigned both individually and as a group on many occasions regarding the various problems associated with the A83.

‘It is our intention to unite the Community of Argyll and Bute in a common cause, campaigning for the many unresolved road issues to be addressed.

‘We are asking all politicians, businesses, and members of the public to join with us and show a united front.

‘The time has come to work together in a positive and constructive manner for the benefit of the Argyll and Bute community.

‘We have received many representations from members of the public, community councils and businesses regarding the various problems associated with this route.

‘These range from the current unacceptable situation at the Rest and be Thankful, to the pinch points which exist at Inverary, and between Lochgilpead and Tarbert, the lack of a crossing point at Tarbert and finally the issue of trunking the road between Kennacraig and Campbeltown.

‘We want everyone in Argyll and Bute to show their support and sign the petition.

‘At the end of February 2012 it is our intention to present the petition to the Scottish Government.

‘Our objective is for the government firstly to acknowledge the publicly the problems that exist with the A83 and then present a firm plan of action to resolve them.’
Hymn to the A83

The A83 weaves its way south through each of the constituencies of the three founding members of Argyll First.

* It links Helensburgh and Lomond into the rest of Argyll.
* It climbs to the masculine grandness of the great pass at Rest and Be Thankful, swoops to the feminine charms of Inveraray and the lovely fishing village of Tarbert, then skirts the magnificent bareness of the west coast of Kintyre.
* It links Loch Lomond to Loch Long, to Loch Fyne, to West Loch Tarbert, to the Sound of Gigha, to the Atlantic coast and to Campbeltown Loch.
* It provides mainland access to and from the hidden secrets of the massive Cowal peninsula – via the B845 from Rest and Be Thankful to Lochgoilhead and Carrick Castle; via the A816 to Strachur, Glendaruel and the short ferry crossing from Colintraive to the Isle of Bute on the A886; via the A816 itself, on down from Strachur to the historic Clydeside town of Dunoon – and right to Toward, at the southeast tip of the peninsula.
* It provides access to and from the Isle of Arran – from the junction with the B8001 to Claonaig for the ferry crossing to Lochranza.
* It provides access to and from the Isle of Islay (and on to the Isle of Jura) via the ferry port of Kennacraig on West Loch Tarbert.
* It provides access to and from the little Isle of Gigha via the little ferry port of Tayinloan.
* It provides access to and from the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland via the Kintyre Express ferry service from Campbeltown at its southernmost extremity.
* It carries traffic to and from Campbeltown airport, with the third longest runway in the UK at 9,500 ft.
* It carries traffic to and from the headquarters of Argyll and Bute Council at Kilmory in Lochgilphead.
* It carves its way right through Mid Argyll, offering access to Loch Awe, Lorn, Oban and Glencoe via the A819 at Inveraray.
* It offers access to the upper west coast of Argyll – to the Crinan Canal and the passenger ferry to Jura, to Lochs Melfort and Craighnish, to the Slate Isles and on to Oban – through its junction with the A816 at Lochgilphead.
* It carries both ends of the loop into the magical timelessness of the Kilberry peninsula in Kintyre, with its breathtaking views to Jura.
* It carries both ends of the other loop into the lush and sheltered east coast of Kintyre, down Kilbrannan Sound and looking over to the magisterial Isle of Arran.
* It provides pretty sheltered pictures, awesome panoramas and teasing glimpses of pieces of the topographical jigsaw that is Argyll.
* It carries residents, visitors, golfers, business traffic, courier services, haulage, wind turbine towers made in Campbeltown and timber from all parts in Argyll – which has something like 40% of Scotland’s forest estate.

The A83 is one of THE great roads – but it’s not a road at all. It’s a river – Argyll’s Volga. It flows strongly all the way into, across and down through Argyll from its easternmost point to its most southerly one at the fastness of Campbeltown, snug in its sweeping loch on the edge of the Mull of Kintyre. Its tributaries knit Argyll and the isles into a single entity and they feed it.

This is a road to love, to enjoy and to respect.

What we have instead, thanks to the ignorance of east coast urban bureaucrats with little knowledge and no care for the rural reality, is a road to pity.

This is the child of parents who live apart, Neither spends enough time with it. Both send it the odd half-thought care package from time to time but neither look after it with any sense of commitment. It is too often left scarred, barefoot and ragged-clothed by both and for significant periods.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland, is responsible for it from Tarbet on Loch Lomond through to the ferry port to Islay at Kennacraig, half way along West Loch Tarbert in Kintyre. After that they don’t think it’s important enough to be a trunk road and they leave it to Argyll and Bute Council to maintain – or not.

In divorce terms, the A83 has a relatively wealthy father who has custody but too many demands on his time to pay much attention, leaving what he can’t be bothered to care for to a locally-based mother to do what she can on weekend access visits.

This simply will not do.

Beyond the trunk road section there are the ferry ports of Tayinloan and Campbeltown; the civil airport at Campbeltown; the five-returns-a-day coach service between Glasgow and Campbeltown; the wind turbine manufacturer at Machrihanish; two unique and world class golf courses at Machrihanish; the commercial port and marina at Campbeltown; and that world’s-end important town on which an entire peninsula’s economic sustainability depends – a peninsula whose name and principal feature the world knows, thanks to Paul McCartney and Wings.

Folk coming off the ferry from Islay, if they turn left at Kennacraig they travel first class on a trunk road – or they would if it was maintained as it should be. If they turn right, they get economy class to Campbeltown, if they manage to retain the integrity of their chassis and exhaust over the potholes.
The campaign for the A83 and your part in it

There is no defensible argument of any description for not making the A83 a trunk road from start to finish. The current arrangement is arbitrarily discriminatory. It dumps undue responsibility on an already stretched local authority. It demonstrates the east coast bias of an Edinburgh based government of any political colour.

Argyll First cannot be more celebrated for taking on the salvation of the A83.

Their targets are:

* Trunking the road between Kennacraig and Campbeltown
* Rest and be Thankful – enabling the road to resist landslides
* Addressing the ‘pinch points’ on the road – such as at Inverary and between Lochgilphead and Tarbert
* Addressing the crossing point issue at the village of Tarbert

They will need all the support they will get :

* from every user of this road and its tributary roads – within and outwith Argyll
* from every resident and business user
* from communities reached by and because of it
* from visitors
* from islanders who owe their access to it
* from peninsulas who are kept part of the the main because of it
* and from the hordes who relish the spectacularly lovely driving experiences it offers – if you ignore the potholes and the broken edges that are not the road’s fault.

They will need all of Argyll’s news media to help – print, community radio, community television and online; all of the great local community websites to help; all of the Facebook affinity groups to help.

Somewhere in this mix is you – and they will need you to help.

They will be asking you to SIGN FOR THE A83.

They are launching an e-petition with the Scottish Government and when that is ready, we will link direct to it from the top right hand corner of this screen.

They are launching a hard copy petition for everyone to sign – which will be available in all sorts of retail and service outlets.

Then, when the power you give them is as massive as it will be – they will present the lot to the Scottish government.

Argyll and Bute is lucky enough to have four resident MSPs:

* Jackie Baille and Michael Russell, respectively the constituency MSPs for Dumbarton (including the Helensbugh and Lomond area) and Argyll and Bute (everything else).
* Jamie McGrigor and Mike Mackenzie, both Highlands and Islands MSPs.

We have no doubt that they will all roll up their sleeves and get to it to support this campaign in every possible way they can.

This is a campaign for Argyll, for all of it, that puts Argyll first, initiated and led by Argyll First.

Support it, Recruit support for it. This is your campaign. Make it your own. Make it succeed – because it can.

You’ve got until February and nothing beats a fast start.

Campaign contacts:

Contact any of the three Argyll First Councillors and get them to email you hard copy petition sheets to put in good places where you live. Keep a record of where you’ve placed them, keep an eye on them and keep in contact on whichever Argyll First member you work through.

In alphabetical order, the email addresses for the Argyll First councillors are:

* Donald Kelly: Donald.Kelly2@argyll-bute.gov.uk
* John McAlpine: john.mcalpine@argyll-bute.gov.uk
* Dougie Philand: dougie.philand@argyll-bute.gov.uk

The image at the top is of the CalMac ferry port at Kennacraig on the A83, the point where it becomes schizophrenic – a trunk road to the north and a normal A road to the south.

by **WeeTownWeeYin** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 5:44 pm

http://forargyll.com/2011/12/argyll-fir ... landslide/

by **Kintyre Forum News** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:17 pm

WeeTownWeeYin wrote:http://forargyll.com/2011/12/argyll-first-campaign-for-the-a83-up-and-running-this-time-it-wants-a-landslide/

The Argyll First group of councillors has got its campaign to petition for bringing the A83 – Argyll’s most important road, up to standard.

You will find hard copy petitions in various retail, business and public service outlets – and you can email your support by using the instructions avaiable when you click on the ‘Sign for the A83′ box on the top of the left hand column on this screen.

They want – and Argyll needs – businesses, residents, visitors, and all users of this major arterial road to contribute their support – whether they live in the area or not.

Please support this campaign and recruit support for it.
The Argyll First campaign statement

‘Argyll First would invite the whole community of Argyll and Bute to unite with one voice and demand that a firm plan of action is put in place to address the many outstanding road issues currently affecting the A83.

‘The continual year on year disruption to businesses and to the rural way of life cannot continue. We MUST make a stand and the time is now.

‘We want to see every MSP, Councillor, Community Council, Haulier, business, and member of the public show their support by signing the Petition. We want companies who are outwith Argyll and Bute but are affected by the current situation at the Rest and be Thankful to show their support.

‘Key points of the campaign are:-

1. RESOLVE THE SITUATION AT THE REST AND BE THANKFUL

We have continually raised this issue over the past 4 or so years at various Council meetings.
We have suggested that the forestry road which runs parallel to the Rest could be upgraded and a convoy system put in place in order that traffic could circumvent any landslide on the rest. This would save the costly detours which are currently in place.

2. THE PINCH POINTS WHICH CURRENTLY EXIST AT INVERARY AND BETWEEN LOCHGILPHEAD AND TARBERT

These areas have continually been hotspots for accidents thus causing the road to be closed for considerable periods of time. This again has a detrimental effect on both business and the general public.

3. THE LACK OF PROPER CROSSING POINTS AT THE VILLAGES OF ARDRISHAIG AND TARBERT.

Both these communities have lobbied long and hard but to no avail. It is important that these issues are recognised as
being part and parcel of the problems that exist with the A83.

4. THE TRUNKING OF THE ROAD FROM KENNACRAIG TO CAMPBELTOWN.

‘It is imperative that the government take action and trunk this section of the A83.
Machrihanish is deemed to be a future centre of excellence for the renewable industry. This cannot happen with a substandard road. Substantial l investment is required on this section of road and only the government has the capability of providing this. Again this is an area which is considered an accident hotspot given the numerous accidents which have occurred over the years .

‘People continually complain about the problems associated with the A83. This campaign gives everyone the opportunity
to once and for all let their voices be heard. Lets join together and make this campaign count. Sign the petition.’

by **Kintyre Forum News** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:40 pm

Time to give this the push it deserves and in support of the campaign we have thrown together a website where you can download the Petition, print it off, display it and get people to sign it.

The website is http://www.signforthea83.com/index.htm

We also added a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/signfortheA83

Of course the best place to follow the campaign is at the excellent www.forargyll.com website who have supported the campaign from the outset.

You can however, show your support by signing the on-line petition that has just been created today - http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/sig ... e-a83.html

Below is an example of support from the Kintyre Development Group sent to Councillor Donald Kelly.

Donald:

As you know, Kintyre Development Company Limited is the developer, owner and operator of the Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club and The Village at Machrihanish Dunes (which includes the Old Clubhouse Pub and The Ugadale Hotel and Cottages) in Machrihanish and The Royal Hotel in Campbeltown. To date, KDCL has invested over £17,500,000 in equity in this project and projects that this figure will be well in excess of £20,000,000 when the renovation of the Royal and Ugadale Hotels are completed early next year. Our projects benefit tourism in the lower Kintyre region and are projected to provide over 100 jobs once the hotels are fully operational.

The success of our venture and all tourism in the region is heavily dependent on good highway access—not only for our customers, but for our employees and suppliers as well. The deplorable condition of the A83, which is the only major road providing access to the area, is an impediment to our success and we therefore fully support the campaign to Sign for the A83, which will address the issues you note in your email below.

Kind regards,

Marc Wexler

For Kintyre Development Company Limited

by **Jk000** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:47 pm

HI folks, please if you haven't done so already, can you click on the link below and sing the e-petition for the A83. Every single signature counts and makes a difference. You can find the e-petition through the link below. Thank you.

http://forargyll.com/2012/01/argyll-fir ... e-council/