We received 240 tonnes of material on site on 13 December to enable us to start surfacing the emergency bypass. The new bypass opened for use on 16 December 2023.
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 13th December - tarmac being laid](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-12/385533411_1397228311227052_7409214344050466054_n.jpg?itok=tuKNe4SE)
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 13th December - workers laying tarmac on the bypass road](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-12/387507048_1465452257356357_1535641721775353729_n.jpg?itok=8RHteWwL)
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 13th December - progress is being laying tarmac on the bypass road](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-12/385552418_355312480478524_118156805892413489_n.jpg?itok=8uEIsky4)
6th December - "It was a pleasure coming across this morning." This was the comment from one of the passengers currently using the boat to commute from Ardfern to Crinan while the A816 is closed.
![Boat travel from Ardfern](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-12/boats.jpg?itok=V3EmOsiD)
4th December - This is an image of the new road from the Kilmartin end looking north with the new road going through the trees -
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 4th December - new road from the Kilmartin end](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-12/1000016850.jpg?itok=X5HhOdPe)
4th December - This is an image of the new road looking south, back towards the A816 main road -
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 4th December - new road from the south](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-12/1000016853.jpg?itok=gX3-47Nw)
29th November - Emergency route on track to open 16 December, subject to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 29th November - work progressing on the emergency road](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/Ardfern%20pic.jpg?itok=UGMrF75a)
27 November 2023 - The southern half of the emergency route (forestry route) has been excavated down to formation level. Geotextile grid has been laid across the formation and the stone subbase has been imported.
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 27th November - excavation of the forestry route](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/A816_2711_2.png?itok=oriAZUcH)
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 27th November - laying the geotextile grid](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/A816_2711_1.png?itok=H_EuYp_y)
27 November 2023 - We are continuing to remove spoil and boulders that came down as part of the debris flow. We have removed 15,000 tonnes of debris to date.
![A816 landslip at Ardfern - 27th November - clearing soil and boulders](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/A816_2711_3.png?itok=ZouxrZ2n)
A816 timescales – here’s a map of what we’re working to deliver. We had hoped to re-open the A816 route mid to end November. The unsafe state of the hillside unfortunately rules that out. So we are progressing the diversion route, for opening mid-December subject to any new issues, while we continue to clear and stabilise the A816.
![A816 landslip - map of proposed works](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/map.png?itok=JOyakzsY)
4th November - This is an example of the boulders that we’re working to bring down safely from the hillside as we continue clearance operations at Ardfern. This one is estimated to be about 20 tonnes.
![Boulders at Ardfern landslip 4th November 2023](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/Ardfern1.jpg?itok=_7y5QvPH)
4th November - This is what remains of a 220-tonne boulder that our teams had to break up at the site of the landslip at Ardfern.
![Remains of a boulder at Ardfern landslip - 4th November 2023](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/Ardfern%202.jpg?itok=Oc9TIyA7)
4th November - work continues to clear 6,000 of debris from the road
![Ardfern landslip - work continues to clear 6,000 of debris from the road](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/Ardfern%201.png?itok=aFERn5tG)
![Ardfern landslip - work continues to clear 6,000 of debris from the road - clearing mud and boulders](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/Ardfern%202.png?itok=xORuOIUQ)
31st October - images of our teams working on the clean up after the landslip
![Roads team working on clearing the road after the Ardfern landslip](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/Ardfern%20clean-up%2031.10.23%20%28Medium%29_0.jpg?itok=VYuGqam9)
![Roads team using machinery to work on clearing the road after the Ardfern landslip](/sites/default/files/styles/freestyle_xs/public/2023-11/Ardfern%20clean-up%20vehicle%2031.10.23%20%28Medium%29.jpg?itok=jW1Hu9lh)