Welcome

The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) is a new road being developed to improve travel in and around Aberdeen and the North-east of Scotland.

Backed by the Scottish Government, the road is being developed by Transport Scotland - the national transport agency - in partnership with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils.

The AWPR is one of a number of transport projects planned to help improve road safety and accessibility, reduce congestion and grow the local economy - ensuring the North East remains a competitive business location.

In 2010 legal challenges were submitted to the Court of Session challenging the decision of the Scottish Ministers to proceed with the AWPR and the making of the Schemes and Orders. In August 2011 the Court of Session announced its decision to refuse these legal challenges. A subsequent appeal against this decision was heard in December 2011, and refused by the Inner House of the Court of Session on February 29, 2012.

The judgment of the Court of Session can be found in the related links column, on the right of this page.

In April 2012 a further appeal against the court verdict was submitted to the UK Supreme Court, which will further delay the project as construction cannot commence until the appeal is heard in the Supreme Court and resolved.

Scottish Ministers made a fresh attempt to speed up the legal process when lawyers acting for the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland indicated their intention to request an expedited hearing. It was confirmed on 27 April that the dates for the hearing had been set for July 9 and July 10.

Welcoming the move, Transport Minister Keith Brown said:

“While the latest attempt to delay this vital project is disappointing we have taken steps to try and make the latest legal process as prompt as possible. I would like to stress to all in the North East that we are doing everything in our power to progress the appeal hearing and welcome the decision to hold the next stage of the process in July.

“The AWPR is important for the future prosperity of the North East and Scotland as a whole. It will provide substantial benefits to the economy; increase business and tourism opportunities; improve safety; cut congestion and increase opportunities for improvements in public transport facilities.

"There has been extensive public consultation culminating in a public local inquiry, and the Scottish Government’s position has been upheld in the Court of Session in August 2011 and again in February 2012. As this project has been outstanding for an extensive period of time – having been consented by Ministers in December 2009 – our position is that it is in the interests of the public as a whole that this appeal be concluded without further delay."

Working in partnership with Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council
on behalf of Transport Scotland.