Supreme Court bypass decision could be made 'within the next few weeks'

A decision on whether plans to build Aberdeen’s bypass can go ahead could be made within the next few weeks.

Campaign group RoadSense has been fighting to stop the £400m route which would join the A90 from Blackdog to Stonehaven.

Two appeals against the final route by the group have already been thrown out by judges in Scotland and the group’s fight has now reached the Supreme Court in London where a two-day hearing is poised to conclude on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the Supreme Court said: “There will not be a decision today. The court will reserve its judgement.

“I would not rule out a decision within the next few weeks but it’s more likely a decision will follow in the Autumn.”

He added however that judges could give a quicker decision with their reasoning following at a later date.

William Walton has led RoadSense as it has opposed the route. He said he was “optimistic” about the hearing.

Mr Walton said: “There’s a pretty fundamental argument as I say about whether the Scottish Government acted lawfully in the inclusion of the Fastlink into the scheme.

“We’re now focusing on a strategic issue as to whether in law terms whether this route ever was subject to proper consultation.”

Mr Walton’s legal team is headed by QC Aidan O'Neill, who led the legal team in the landmark Cadder case which secured the right of suspects in Scotland to have access to a solicitor in a police station.

The near 30-mile planned road - known as the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) - was given approval by Scottish ministers in 2009 following a public consultation which RoadSense claims was flawed.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "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.

"The Scottish Government has an iron will to proceed with the AWPR as soon as possible. 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.”

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