Improvements works to the notorious Haudagain roundabout in Aberdeen have been delayed yet again – making it seven times the project has now been pushed back.
A bypass to the age-old logjam was initially due to bring relief to north-east motorists late last year.
However, the work has been pushed back time and time again.
Now the Scottish Government has revealed the latest estimated for the new road to link the A92 North Anderson Drive and A96 Auchmill Road will be mid-May.
Anger at latest Haudagain delay
Recent storms and frosty weather have been blamed for the construction work slipping.
Conservative North-East MSP Liam Kerr described the continual delays as a “complete embarrassment”.
He said: “This is the seventh time the project has been delayed and the people of Aberdeen deserve better than ministers promising completion dates that slip time after time.
“The city has waited 15 years for one of Europe’s worst roundabouts to finally be upgraded but are being fed countless false promises.
“I will now be asking if this latest delay will burst the budget like so many other past SNP projects and whether the people of Aberdeen can expect it to finally be completed in mid-May.”
Ground was broken on the £18million project to bypass the notorious bottleneck in 2017.
The Covid pandemic has contributed to the delays, which have also been extended due to a burst gas main and “technical issues” with the road surface.
Storms and Covid blamed for delays
Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth confirmed the delay in writing to SNP Aberdeen Donside MSP Jackie Dunbar.
The response explains the previous estimate of late March, which was given in December last year, was subject to no further delays from bad weather.
However, since then, the north-east has been battered by Storm Corrie, Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice while experiencing several frosts.
Meanwhile, it has also been confirmed more than 40% of the workforce have had to self-isolate due to Covid at times during the last month.
Ms Gilruth added: “In light of the above, I can advise that based on the latest information from the contractor I now anticipate that the works will be complete to allow the new link road to open to traffic by mid-May 2022 at the latest, although the contractor is hoping to achieve an earlier date if possible, subject to no further disruption occurring due to adverse weather or the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Transport Scotland will continue to engage with the contractor to ensure that any risks to programme are mitigated where possible and to explore all opportunities to better this anticipated completion date.”
