(S3O-10135) Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route

19. Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Government when ministers will make an announcement regarding the funding for the Aberdeen western peripheral route. (S3O-10135)

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

We expect, subject to value for money, to fund the Aberdeen western peripheral route through a privately financed non-profit-distributing contract.

Nanette Milne: The minister might be aware that numerous guesstimates of the likely cost of the AWPR are circulating in Aberdeen, put about by groups that are fundamentally opposed to the road. Will he give an assurance that accurate figures will be given to the north-east public at the earliest possible opportunity, with those figures to include the likely financial implications of the on-going objections from opponents of the road development?

Stewart Stevenson: There will be a cost if objections proceed in some of the ways that have been suggested. We will share any updates that come to hand, particularly with the two councils that are each responsible for 9.5 per cent of the funding. When we go to the market we will have to provide figures within which we expect bids to be made and, of course, those will be put into the public domain at that time.