Scottish Conservatives have called on the SNP Scottish Government to place a capped ceiling pegged to current estimated costs to prevent North East Councils being faced with having to find significant additional money to meet any increased costs in the future.
The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) is seen as a key national transport infrastructure project alongside the Forth Replacement Crossing, dualling of the A9 between Perth – Inverness, and M8, M73, and M74 Motorway Improvements.
The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) will be funded jointly by the Scottish Government (81%), Aberdeen City Council (9.5%) and Aberdeenshire Council (9.5%). In the most recent statement SNP Transport Minister Keith Brown MSP, has estimated that building the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) together with the Balmedie to Tipperty project would cost £900m, including VAT.
Nanette Milne, Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East said:
“The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is vital to the economy of the North East and residents and businesses across the North East are pleased that work on the construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will soon start after what has been over thirty years of campaigning for the road.
“Aberdeen and the North East is the engine of the Scottish economy and this project is of national importance, something which has been recognised by the SNP Scottish Government and the First Minster but which has been overlooked when considering how to fund the project.
“The funding mechanism for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) will see both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council having to meet 19 per cent of the cost of the road. The Scottish Government has revised the AWPR costs to an estimated £653m.
“I have called on the SNP Scottish Government to look to place a capped ceiling on the amount both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council have to pay towards the delivery of the project and for this to be pegged to current estimated costs to prevent North East Councils being faced with having to find significant additional money to meet any increased costs in the future.”