Question reference: S6W-05362
- Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 20 December 2021
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 December 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current estimated date is for when works will be complete to allow roads to open to traffic on the A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement project.
Answer
The construction of the A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement project is well advanced.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures to combat the impact of the pandemic, it was confirmed in the publication of the Infrastructure Investment Plan in December 2020 that completion was anticipated in Winter 2021, noting that this date was subject to any unforeseen circumstances.
The latest information received from the Contractor now indicates an anticipated date for completion of works allowing roads to open to traffic by the end of March 2022. The Contractor has reported impacts to programme critical work within the previous month due to adverse weather from Storm Arwen and Storm Barra. Until these recent events the Contractor had been able to maintain an expected completion date within the Winter 2021 period, despite the challenges posed throughout 2021 by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and industry-wide supply chain issues. However, the risk of such events causing delay to the expected completion date has always been highlighted, to indicate that any estimated date must be understood to be subject to an element of uncertainty. Although this revised date remains subject to no further disruption occurring due to events such as adverse weather and the COVID-19 pandemic, Transport Scotland continues to engage with the Contractor as they work to mitigate any delays on site.