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28 January 2010

(S3O-9269) Haudagain Roundabout

8. Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its preferred option is for improvements at the Haudagain roundabout and when work on this will commence. (S3O-9269)

The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson):

We will commence improvements to the Haudagain roundabout following completion of the Aberdeen western peripheral route. When the orders for the route have been approved by Parliament—assuming, of course, that they are—consideration of options will be finalised and a decision made on the preferred option.

Richard Baker
: If there is no prospect of work on the Haudagain roundabout starting before the end of this parliamentary session and given that Aberdeen City Council's development plans for the Middlefield area are contingent on its preferred option for improving the roundabout being selected, will the minister tell us when the final decision on the preferred option will be taken? I understand that the council expected a decision before Christmas.

Stewart Stevenson: Whether the AWPR proceeds is contingent on Parliament agreeing the orders that are before us. We will not make a decision until that process has been completed.

I also make the very general point that there has been considerable discussion about the number of crossings over the Don and the approach to redevelopment, all of which have played their part in ensuring that we are equipped to make the decision after the Parliament has taken its view.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP)
: The minister might be aware of proposals for further substantial housing and business developments in the Grandholm and Danestone areas of Aberdeen. Will he ensure that the redeveloped Haudagain roundabout has the capacity to cope not just with current traffic levels but with the levels of traffic that are expected if the developments go ahead?

Stewart Stevenson: We have always said that we will take responsibility for raising the capacity at the Haudagain roundabout to meet the needs of the area after the introduction of the AWPR, which of course will take traffic off the existing A96 and A90 through Aberdeen. We will absolutely deliver on that promise.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): Does the minister accept that his Government's target date for starting the AWPR is now the same as the previous Administration's target date for completion? In that context, will he agree today to bring forward moves to address the Haudagain pinch-point and get the work done in advance of work on the AWPR?

Stewart Stevenson: Mr Macdonald and I will continue to disagree about the state of preparedness that we inherited when we came into government in 2007. If targets of the nature that Mr Macdonald has referred to were indeed set, they were not matched by any plans that this Government inherited.

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