Further delays to opening of Aberdeen bypass

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson has urged the AWPR contractor to ‘stop deliberating and start acting’ to get the Aberdeen bypass open, in a statement to the Scottish Parliament today, Thursday 1 November.

Michael Matheson reported to Parliament that last Friday, October 26th, Transport Scotland was informed that a greater scope of work would be necessary to repair defects at the River Don Crossing. ARL is now working to ascertain a new date for when the Don will be ready to open.

He also confirmed that discussions to open the 31.5km section from Craibstone to Stonehaven and Charleston have taken place. However, this requires a change to the original contract which the contractor has yet to agree.

Mr Matheson explained why it is not currently possible to provide an opening date for the Craibstone to Stonehaven and Charleston section:

“Earlier this week, I spoke with Peter Truscott, chief executive of Galliford Try to receive an update on the progress they were making in discussing this variation with their lenders. Despite assurances that they were doing everything possible to open the road at the earliest opportunity, as well as a clear indication from Mr Truscott that they were making the necessary changes to the AWPR contract to open the 31.5km section, I was then disappointed to receive a letter from him which contradicted our discussion.

“It is this kind of inconsistency which is frustrating efforts to progress the opening of this new section. As recently as 12th September, Galliford Try issued a statement to markets to say the AWPR was on target to open in late Autumn 2018 and we had no reason to doubt that assessment.

“I have been urging the contractor to conclude its deliberations for some time. I repeated this to him on Monday and reiterated it again today in writing, It is now time for the contractor to stop deliberating and start acting. It now has to take the necessary steps to open the majority of this road and let the people of the North East enjoy the benefits they have been so patiently anticipating.

“I have therefore asked for unequivocal confirmation that the agreement is being progressed and when it will be concluded.

On the confirmation that the River Don Crossing works have been further delayed, Mr Matheson said:

“Our primary responsibility must be to ensure these works are completed safely, to the required quality standards. The River Don Crossing section will not open until Transport Scotland officials and I have confidence this is the case.

“The contractor is working hard to repair the defects and earlier this week it reported it was targeting a December opening date. However, it is not possible to provide a definitive date as there are a number of factors which could influence it including technical issues and other physical factors such as weather.

“We will continue to work closely with the AWPR contractor to ensure everything that can reasonable be done, is being done, and we will provide a definitive date for the opening of this section as soon as possible.”

Mr Matheson has also requested an urgent meeting with the contractors board members to seek clarity on the timescales for opening the remaining sections of the AWPR.

Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Russell Borthwick says today’s update is not good enough:

“Today’s “news” on the long awaited and seemingly now longer wait regarding the opening of the AWPR is hugely disappointing but not at all surprising.

“On behalf of our members we have been consistently calling for transparency and honesty as to when the businesses and people of the region might begin to see the benefits of this investment but received responses ranging from silence to vague references to “late Autumn”.

“Weather, bridge defects, the collapse of Carillion and phasing errors have variously been blamed. Maybe the dog ate the contract?

“The delays and lack of clarity are now impacting productivity and taking time and money out of the local economy.

“People understand that sometimes there are delays to major infrastructure projects but the least they expect is honesty and information.

“Government and other stakeholders must act now to sort out this mess. My calendar says that winter begins one month today, meaning that “late Autumn” will be past. The people of the North-east deserve this deadline to be achieved. Surely opening a fully-completed 19 mile stretch of road is not beyond the wit of man."