Safety review plan for Aberdeen bypass

A safety review of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) is to be carried out after a series of crashes on the route, the transport secretary has confirmed.

An evaluation of the AWPR – which fully opened in February – will be carried out at the one-year mark and it will take into account any accident spots.

Each major infrastructure project in Scotland is evaluated after a year, then again at three and five years.

During portfolio questions at the Scottish Parliament, north-east MSP Liam Kerr addressed Transport Secretary Michael Matheson about how a series of crashes had been clustered around particular areas on the route.

He said: “As long ago as May, commuters were warning particular junctions were accidents waiting to happen.

“So, cabinet secretary, what work is being done to establish the underlying causes of those accidents and what steps are being taken to prevent further incidents before it’s too late?

“It’s clear there are safety issues on the AWPR and that is shown by the number of crashes there have been since the route opened.”

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Mr Matheson said of the AWPR: “It is providing considerable benefit to the community.

“For those who I have engaged with in the north-east of Scotland, there is a broad welcome for the significant improvement that’s come about as a result of the Scottish Government’s significant investment into the north-east of Scotland’s road network.

“As ever… there is an evaluation undertaken at one year, three years and five years after its completion to identify the benefits and any issues which arise from that project.

“There is a process which is undertaken to look at any sites where there may be accident clusters and to analyse the data along with Police Scotland around the nature and cause of those particular accidents, and whether any mitigation measures need to be put in place.”