Tax considered to meet Aberdeen bypass costs

The bypass will create a fastlink to the north, west and south of Aberdeen

Aberdeenshire Council officials have confirmed that plans for a local tax to help pay the cost of the Aberdeen bypass scheme were considered.

The council and its city counterpart will each be expected to pay 9.5% of the total £400m cost of the project.

The authority said a tax was one of a range of options being considered to generate funding. It added that no final decision had been taken.

The bypass will create a fastlink to the north, west and south of Aberdeen.

A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council said: "We are still in discussions with the Scottish government and Transport Scotland and await details on when the project will begin and how it will be funded. We are willing to look at a range of funding options."

'Largest share'

The proposal for a local tax was put to Aberdeenshire Council's AWPR (Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route) steering group by local authority officials in January.

They suggested that the government authorise the area be exempt from the council tax freeze.

A spokesman for Transport Scotland said the bypass scheme would be considered for procurement through the government's Non-Profit Distributing (NPD) model.

He added: "The Scottish government is meeting the largest share of the costs, contributing 81% of the total cost of the project.

"Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council are both contributing 9.5%.

"The cost of the Fastlink and the maintenance of the scheme will be met wholly by the Scottish government."

The scheme was originally due to be finished in 2012.