The years of waiting for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) were ultimately worth it, say the vast majority of our readers — but some think the bypass has come “too late” for the region.
On Sunday, to mark the four-year anniversary of the final section of the AWPR opening to traffic, we launched a poll asking our readership if they thought the massive roads project was all worthwhile in the end.
The 36-mile bypass around Aberdeen could end up costing the public purse more than £1 billion, and only came about after decades of planning and delays.
But despite all the bumps in the road along the way, 93% of our readers who took part in our poll think the bypass has been worth the wait.
1,500 readers say AWPR was worth it
In total, 1,612 of our readers participated in our poll at the weekend.
In response to the question of “has the AWPR been worth it?”, 1,500 people said yes — 93.05% of those polled.
And 112 people, or 6.95%, said no.
Our readers love the AWPR for the most part…
Our poll resulted in hundreds of comments on social media, as our readers discussed the impact of the bypass on their lives and what they think the AWPR has meant for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Many said the new road has helped them get around the region with much improved journey times.
One commenter said it’s been of “enormous benefit”, and said they think it provides “much easier access to the airport and to the north and west of the city”.
Another reader said: “It’s made a huge difference, even popping into the city for an appointment, it’s much better.”
And one fish and chips fan said the AWPR helps them get from the “Bridge of Don to The Bay chipper in Stonehaven in half an hour”.
“Used to take us at least 45 minutes to get from Dyce to over the Bridge of Dee — now we can get to Stonehaven in 20 minutes,” said another.
…but some fear it’s decades too late for north-east
One of the most common themes from our readers was wishing that the AWPR would have been delivered decades ago.
One reader compared it to plans for A9 and A96 dualling: “It’s a big yes, but we needed it in the 1980s.
“Let’s hope common sense prevails and the dual carriageway to Inverness, both from Perth and Aberdeen, is completed ASAP.”
A fellow commenter said it’s “30 years too late, but it’s a great road”, and another remarked they think it “would have been an amazing asset when oil and gas was big in Aberdeen.”
“40 years too late”, one person said.
They added: “The benefits it could have had would have been so much more for the north-east as a whole.”
Stonehaven section of the AWPR branded a ‘disaster of a set up’ by some
Many readers who said they’re fans of the AWPR as a whole said they have experienced problems with the Stonehaven end of the bypass.
This end of the road links the bypass with the A90 Stonehaven to Dundee road, and the A92 Stonehaven to Aberdeen road (the old A90), via a roundabout and a traffic light junction.
“Hate the Stonehaven section,” said one reader, who added: “Think this should be redone, and merged properly with the A90 north and south.”
Another wrote: “It’s great for the likes of me staying north of Aberdeen wanting to head south.
“But what a disaster of a set up at Stonehaven.
“They just gave up. No thought went into it.”
And one person called the Stonehaven end an “absolutely terrible intersection”, and suggested that “main traffic flow should have been via ramps”.
AWPR roundabouts driving some drivers around the bend
Others have criticised the handful of roundabouts present along the extent of the bypass to link it to the rest of the road network.
In particular, lots of readers pointed to the Cleanhill roundabout, located just south of the River Dee, that joins the bypass to the A956 road towards Altens.
“No need for a roundabout at Cleanhill”, said one reader.
“Should of been a slip road like the rest of the exits.”
Another person wrote: “Should have been a proper under or overpass at Cleanhill.”
One reader said the Cleanhill roundabout “should have been a flyover with the amount of vehicles crashing straight through it”.
“Ridiculous to have roundabouts on a dual carriageway,” another commenter said.
They added: “Roundabouts work in residential settings, but they’re a disaster on main highways.”
Conversation