A number of motorists were pulled over for allegedly speeding on the A90 Aberdeen to Fraserburgh road – just hours after the new dualled section opened for the first time.
Another man, 31, was also charged by officers after allegedly clocking up 96mph on the Parkhill-Dyce section of the new AWPR.
Nine drivers were pulled over on the A90. The majority issued with a fixed penalty of three points and a £100 fine.
Those alleged to be driving at higher speeds were reported to the procurator fiscal.
Police officers were waiting as decades of wait yesterday ended for hundreds of drivers travelling to and from the north of Aberdeen as the last traffic restrictions were lifted on the A90 Aberdeen to Fraserburgh road, between Balmedie and Tipperty.
There have been reduced speed limits and disruption on the road for almost two years, with average speed cameras in place during some of the works.
Now they will have five miles of new carriageway, three new junctions and a road which is back to national speed limit after being limited to 30mph on some sections.
It comes just months after a section of the new road was opened between Parkhill and Blackdog, giving road users a dual carriageway from Parkhill all the way to south Ellon roundabout for the first time.
The dualled road has already been hailed as a development that will reduce journey times for commuters, haulage firms and other businesses.
On the eve of the restrictions being lifted, Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Every day tens of thousands of drivers will now reap the benefits of this section of new road, which was originally a separate project to the AWPR, through enhanced safety, reduced congestion, improved journey time reliability and safer access to local areas and the wider public network.”
While the route has widespread support, there have been calls for transport chiefs to resolve a long-standing issue with signage.
Farmer James Duthie runs a bed and breakfast at Aitkenshill and claims he has lost all passing trade as there are no signs pointing motorists to his establishment, which is on the old A90 – now known as the A92.
He said: “I’d say one in ten of our clientele every week was passing trade but that’s completely gone now.
“We’ve been told that there are going to be signs put in place but the whole thing is a joke.
“It looks like Transport Scotland are just going to walk away from this now that the road’s open.”
Earlier this year the owners of the Cock and Bull restaurant claimed they were losing out on as much as £500 a day because of the problem.
Gordon MP Colin Clark has also called on Transport Scotland to ensure Aberdeenshire Council does not have to foot the bill for repairs on local routes which have been damaged by construction traffic.
He said: “The issue of signage to direct travellers to places like the Cock and Bull has still not been resolved.
“Equally, our councils will have a battle on their hands to secure compensation for the damage caused to local roads by repeated use by HGV traffic.
“Given ongoing SNP cuts to local authority budgets, they can ill-afford to the cost of repairs that will run to millions of pounds. Transport Scotland should be footing the bill.”
