Aberdeenshire Council has demanded cash from Transport Scotland to pay for repairs to a road that bypass construction vehicles are said to have left looking like a “war zone.”
Local authority roads experts claim the C13K Lairhillock to Portlethen road has been used by an “unprecedented” amount of Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) traffic over the past two years of the £745million project.
Residents who use the road have reported a great deal of pot holes and damage along the route, which cuts across the path of the AWPR.
Now Ewan Smith, Aberdeenshire Council’s principal road engineer for the Kincardine and Mearns area, has said the council will be “seeking a contribution” to help cover the costs of bringing the road surface back to an acceptable standard.
He said: “The C13K Lairhillock road has experienced an unprecedented amount of AWPR construction traffic over the past two years.
“It is regularly temporarily repaired but the volume of heavy AWPR construction traffic continues to affect the surface.
“There is a programme to carry out permanent repairs to the Lairhillock road once the AWPR is opened to traffic later this year.
“These programmed repairs were approved by the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee in March 2018, as part of the Area Roads Maintenance Programme for 2018/19.
“Similar repairs are also planned for some of the other classified roads in the vicinity also affected by AWPR construction traffic.
“The council will be seeking a contribution from Aberdeen Roads Limited for these permanent road repairs.”
One resident said: “It is like a war zone and almost impossible to drive on at one particular stretch.”
A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said contractors working on the bypass were allowed to use existing roads, but that discussions were taking place with Aberdeenshire Council.
She said: “The contractor of the project, Aberdeen Roads Limited has confirmed its project team hold regular coordination meetings with the relevant roads authorities.
“It also confirms it has obtained all permissions from Aberdeenshire Council to use the existing road network when required.
“ARL is currently in ongoing conversations with roads authorities, but these have not yet concluded.”