Bypass section to open tomorrow

A major section of the delayed Aberdeen bypass will open tomorrow, officials have said.

The 20-mile stretch of the new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) covering the A90 between Stonehaven and Craibstone and the A956 between Cleanhill and Charleston will open early tomorrow morning, Transport Scotland said.

The police will open the junctions on a phased basis, startingatcraibstoneandfollowed by Stonehaven, Charleston, Deeside, Kingswells South and the A90 southbound exit slip road only at Kingswells North.

Officials said there will be no access to the northbound AWPR from Kingswells North for safety reasons until the whole road is complete.

Contractors hope to have a remaining section of the bypass, crossing the River Don, completed by Christmas, but this is weatherdependent.

Work on the 36-mile road was due to be completed in spring 2018 but was hit by delays.

Last week, contractors told MSPS the total cost of the bypass will top £1 billion. The road is being built under a £745 million fixedprice contract but contractors said delays resulted in additional costs.