ONE of the Queen’s representatives in the north-east has called for work on the Aberdeen bypass to be halted amid fears rivers, burns, beaches and wildlife are at risk.
The plea was made after the River Dee was turned brown by water seeping from an Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) work site at the Maryculter Bridge.
The coastline around Muchalls and Newtonhill also turned the dame colour after heavy rain.
Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire Henry Irvine-Fortescue claimed the discoloured water had poured from bypass sites across the area.
He also said he feared for local wildlife, and urged the Scottish Government to put a stop to the works to allow the damage to be assessed.
Mr Irvine-Fortescue, the Laird of Kingcausie near Maryculter, said: “I am extremely concerned and I think a lot of the local community is extremely concerned.
“One of the questions we keep on raising is why is nothing being done to stop this from affecting the environment?”
He added that a layer of silt – exposed after the removal of top soil – was being washed into the watercourses.
Mr Irvine-Fortescue, who campaigned against the AWPR and is vice-chairman of the North Kincardine Rural Community Council, said: “Some of the pre-earth works drainage systems haven’t been put in yet. Every time it rains there is a problem.
“One of the possibilities is simply to halt the project and for the contractors and their teams to completely reappraise the water system and drainage system. It is not an unreasonable proposal.
“If this had been an oil and gas company dealing with an oil rig without any doubt this project would have been stopped and they would be asking ‘what do we need to do to prevent any further damage?’.
“They have got to limit their impact on the environment. All these burns across the AWPR are all draining into rivers or the sea.”
A number of locals, including Mr Irvine-Fortescue, have written to seven north-east MSPs to demand action to protect the Dee from contamination, claiming there had been “inadequate drainage” systems in place.
Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West Alex Burnett said: “These pictures once again illustrate the very real concerns that local residents have over the pollution of the River Dee and its tributaries from the AWPR construction site.
“The Scottish Conservatives remain fully supportive of the AWPR and the huge economic benefits it will bring to this area, but we cannot have development at any cost.”
Last night, a Transport Scotland spokeswoman said that contractor Aberdeen Roads Ltd had recommenced work on several of its sites across the region – having previously downed tools to focus on “mitigation measures”.
However, she could not confirm whether work was restarting at Maryculter.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) confirmed it was continuing to investigate issues at “sensitive sections” of the AWPR route.
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: “The contractor has agreed a comprehensive programme of remedial works with Sepa, some of which are expected to be completed within a few days and others which will continue in the coming weeks.”
She added the contractor would “remain in regular dialogue with Sepa while the remedial works are undertaken”.
She said: “We take our environmental responsibilities seriously and will also continue to work with the contractor to ensure that watercourses are protected across the site.”
Calum MacDonald, Sepa executive director, said: “Following extensive discussions with AWPR contractors and Transport Scotland, certain activities on the project have now been authorised to restart work.
“These include areas which are likely to have no impact on the local environment and on works where evidence has been provided that appropriate measures are now in place to mitigate future pollution incidents.
“Detailed discussions are ongoing especially regarding sensitive sections of the route which require careful consideration before work can fully recommence.”
