Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 22 May 2013
22 May 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Haudagain Roundabout
I am sure that Mr Stewart will want to speak later, so he will have his chance then.
Despite the Scottish Government’s verbal assurances that it will pay for the Haudagain after the new trunk road is completed, my understanding is that it has not entered into a legally binding obligation to do so. Although ministers should enter into such an obligation if they are to stick to their current plans, it would be far better for them to take the action that is called for in the motion and move forward immediately with the planned improvements.
Substantive work towards that goal can be achieved now. Kevin Stewart’s comments in this morning’s press display what I believe to be a wilful misrepresentation of the plan for improvements that has been put forward and, indeed, the plan that he voted for when he was on the council. Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that he did not understand what he was voting for. The plan falls some way short of the flyovers that the SNP proposed when in opposition, but because we believe that time is of the essence we accept that this is the plan that must proceed.
However, Kevin Stewart must be aware that no one is suggesting that the roundabout needs to be closed for the duration of this work, because the solution that he endorsed means that the work will not take place at the roundabout itself. As the appraisal under the Scottish transport appraisal guidance indicates, the main features of option 5—the plan that has been agreed—are the retention of the existing roundabout at Haudagain and a new dual carriageway link road connecting North Anderson Drive with Auchmill Road. That work will take place away from the roundabout itself. Of course, the plan for improvements chosen by the SNP will involve rehousing some residents in Logie and other plans for regeneration in that area.
The council stands ready to move forward with this work now and to enable work to commence on the improvements well in advance of the Scottish Government’s current plans.
Despite the Scottish Government’s verbal assurances that it will pay for the Haudagain after the new trunk road is completed, my understanding is that it has not entered into a legally binding obligation to do so. Although ministers should enter into such an obligation if they are to stick to their current plans, it would be far better for them to take the action that is called for in the motion and move forward immediately with the planned improvements.
Substantive work towards that goal can be achieved now. Kevin Stewart’s comments in this morning’s press display what I believe to be a wilful misrepresentation of the plan for improvements that has been put forward and, indeed, the plan that he voted for when he was on the council. Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that he did not understand what he was voting for. The plan falls some way short of the flyovers that the SNP proposed when in opposition, but because we believe that time is of the essence we accept that this is the plan that must proceed.
However, Kevin Stewart must be aware that no one is suggesting that the roundabout needs to be closed for the duration of this work, because the solution that he endorsed means that the work will not take place at the roundabout itself. As the appraisal under the Scottish transport appraisal guidance indicates, the main features of option 5—the plan that has been agreed—are the retention of the existing roundabout at Haudagain and a new dual carriageway link road connecting North Anderson Drive with Auchmill Road. That work will take place away from the roundabout itself. Of course, the plan for improvements chosen by the SNP will involve rehousing some residents in Logie and other plans for regeneration in that area.
The council stands ready to move forward with this work now and to enable work to commence on the improvements well in advance of the Scottish Government’s current plans.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-06657, in the name of Richard Baker, on immediate action at the Haudagain roundabout.14:40
Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased that we have been able to bring forward in Labour business the issue of tackling congestion at the Haudagain roundabout, because it is a vital t...
Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the member very much for taking an intervention on that point. Does he accept that the Aberdeen western peripheral route is of great significance to ...
Richard Baker
Lab
Of course; I am happy to accept that point. We all agree on the importance of the AWPR but, through today’s debate, we want to move the Haudagain roundabout ...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
What will happen to traffic to the airport if Mr Baker’s request for immediate action is granted? If the Haudagain is redone, we will have chaos on the roads...
Richard Baker
Lab
That is both a poor excuse and a gross misrepresentation of the issue. I will specifically address the ludicrous press release that Mr Stewart issued yesterd...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Will the member give way?
Richard Baker
Lab
I am sure that Mr Stewart will want to speak later, so he will have his chance then.Despite the Scottish Government’s verbal assurances that it will pay for ...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP)
SNP
I have been listening carefully to Mr Baker. Will he confirm whether Labour is committed to the construction of a third Don crossing any time in the near fut...
Richard Baker
Lab
The member is aware that Aberdeen City Council proposes a third Don crossing. As I have said, the council stands ready to move forward with this work now and...
The Minister for Transport and Veterans (Keith Brown)
SNP
The Scottish Government recognises, of course, the important contribution that Aberdeen and the north-east make to our wider economy and that an effective tr...
Richard Baker
Lab
So when Alex Neil and John Swinney specifically called for immediate action more than five years ago, they were wrong.
Keith Brown
SNP
Perhaps Richard Baker has forgotten that there has been a protracted legal challenge on the AWPR. Nestrans and the council that he has lauded have said a num...
Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
Keith Brown
SNP
No. I want to make some progress.The funding of the regeneration proposal for the Middlefield area is a matter for Aberdeen City Council, but Transport Scotl...
Lewis Macdonald
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
Keith Brown
SNP
I will do so in just a second.The forthcoming by-election and Labour’s need for a fig leaf to hide every major construction project that it has delayed expla...
Lewis Macdonald
Lab
I am grateful to the minister for giving way, even if he has done so when I was not seeking to intervene.Will the minister confirm that the STAG report actua...
Keith Brown
SNP
I think that I have just said what is being done. We have employed design consultants to work on the design at this early stage in order that we can be ready...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
It is wonderful what a by-election will do to focus Parliament on issues that are important to the people of Aberdeen, and the Aberdeen Donside by-election i...
Keith Brown
SNP
Will the member give way?
Alex Johnstone
Con
The commitment that I need from the minister today—I will give way if he is willing to give it—is that he will take action so that the Haudagain roundabout p...
Keith Brown
SNP
If the member had listened to what I said, he would have heard me say that we have started on the design work, which is the necessary first step. Over and ab...
Alex Johnstone
Con
The minister’s intervention takes us into an area that I need to talk about, which is the time that projects take.The minister went through a list of project...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We are tight for time, so members must stick to four-minute speeches.15:02
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
I have talked a lot in the Parliament recently about common sense—“gumption” is the word that we use in the north-east. Today, we see mair gimmick than gumpt...
Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Although Kevin Stewart offered to move on from the knockabout, he went on to produce one of the most comical speeches that I have heard. He asked a number of...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
No.
Lewis Macdonald
Lab
The Haudagain is part of the trunk road network and therefore the Scottish Government’s responsibility.I heard a little heckling from a sedentary position. I...
Bruce Crawford
SNP
Will work at the Haudagain roundabout cause extra congestion around the city?