Public must not pay for bypass delays- Bruce

4.11.58pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 28th Jun 2007

The Western Peripheral Route will be vital for the economy of the North East

Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce has urged the Transport Minister to assure North East residents that there will be no further delays in the building of the Western Peripheral Route.

Stewart Stevenson announced yesterday that the bypass, scheduled for completion in 2011, will not now be finished until 2012. Several independent experts have raised concerns that the delay could see the price of the bypass rise with inflation.

Commenting, Mr Bruce said:

"For the sake of the economy of the North East, it is vital that construction of the bypass should proceed without any further hold-ups. "

"The more delays there are, the more costs will undoubtedly mount."

"The Transport Minister has spoken of the need to ensure that major transportation projects provide the best value for money. He now has the opportunity to save the public purse a significant amount of money by ensuring there are no more setbacks in the building of the Western Peripheral Route, and I hope he takes it."