A north-east planning chief has revealed the Aberdeen bypass may now not be finished until April at the earliest.
Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure director Stephen Archer revealed the £745million AWPR had an estimated completion date of the “second quarter” of next year.
However Transport Scotland last night insisted the target finish time of the project remains “winter 2017/18”.
Mr Archer made the comments at a meeting of the city region deal committee on Friday.
He told members: “We will hopefully have a major section opening early 2018.
“Completion is estimated to be the second quarter of the year.”
But he also said the date could change and expected to hear a more specific timescale at a meeting of the bypass board later this week.
A well-placed source at the city council confirmed they had been given a similar estimate.
The road was initially supposed to open winter this time last year but was delayed by 12 months as contractors Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL) had failed to complete crucial earthworks in time for winter.
Last night a north-east MSP said motorists had already endured “huge disruption” and had waited long enough.
Peter Chapman said: “Motorists across the north-east will be dismayed to hear any suggestion that the timetable for delivery of this vital new bypass has slipped any further.
“Commuters have already had to endure a delay to the completion of the Balmedie-Tipperty section of the route. Now it appears that the rest of the project is also going to be late.
“There has been a huge amount of disruption for several years now during the construction period. Drivers have been patient, but they should not have to wait any longer.”
It comes as the organisation admitted the final total cost for the project would not be known until 2018.
A cost to complete (CTC) assessment on the AWPR was due to take place last month but has now been postponed until January.
Economy Minister Keith Brown has previously stated that the taxpayer would not be liable for any costs beyond the promised budget.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “The AWPR/B-T project is scheduled to open in winter 2017/18. As with the delivery of all projects, achieving the contractors target opening date is dependent on a number of factors including adequate resourcing, sound project management and favourable weather conditions.
“A number of side roads and bridges built as part of the project have already opened in advance of the new trunk road, as announced last year, and, where practical, the contractor will continue to open sections of the new route as they become available for use. This will offer local communities an opportunity to benefit from this significant investment in the north east as soon as possible.
“The contract with ARL is designed to incentivise the delivery of this project at the earliest opportunity that it is safe to do so.”
