Ground broken on Perth Western expansion
A £35 million contract to deliver a new A9 and A85 junction and link road to Perth got underway today.
It is the first phase of the Perth Transport Futures Project, which views to add houses, businesses and a school to the area.
It's hoped that the new infrastucture will ease current and future traffic congestion, as well as improving air quality in the city centre.
Perth and Kinross Council leader, Ian Miller, is delighted with the news.
He said: "Today is an important milestone in the development of Perth's ambitions to allow the economic, and physical growth of the city."
"This is a hugely significant project, which will bring benefits for both local and through traffic and improve air quality in the city."
He added: "We have aready seen Roscoe Properties seize the potential this new road network will bring, developing proposals for multi-million pound expansion of the Inveralmond Trade Park.
This support from a well respected local company demonstrates the value investment in the surrounding road infrastructure has for the city.
"The importance of this scheme for Perth cannot be underestimated.
It is essential to the economic growth and vibrancy of the city, and wider region, and is fundamental to our ambition for Perth as one of the great small cities of Europe."
The contract was awarded earlier to Balfour Beatty.
Their Regional Managing Director, Hector MacAuly, said: "We are pleased to get construction underway on this significant scheme to support the economic development of Perth and to be working with local businesses to provide further benefits for the local economy.
Our early collaboration with the Council on its design, coupled with our vast experience in delivering major major highway infrastructure schemes, will support the efficient delivery of this project."