P & J @ 12:00 - 14 September 2007
Work on the Aberdeen bypass could start sooner than expected.
Snp Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said the Scottish Government was trying to press ahead with part of the northern section of the £395 million road.
The section of the 28-mile road - between Kingswells and Blackdog - has not been as controversial as the section south of Aberdeen.
It accounts for very few of the 8,215 objections against the bypass route.
SNP ministers hope to bring forward the completion date by limiting next year's public inquiry into just dealing with the southern section.
Mr Stevenson announced before the summer that the number of objections had meant the projected completion date had been pushed back a year from 2011 to 2012.
A transport spokesman said: "Preparatory groundwork began this week into the northern stretch of the road. We don't know yet if construction can begin early on the northern stretch or if it will make a significant difference to the timetable."
Mr Adam said: "This is very encouraging news.
"If we can get the northern stretch built early then this will be of great benefit to my constituency, particularly businesses in Dyce.
"It will also mean the completion date could come forward."
The public inquiry into the route is set to be held in spring 2008.
The Aberdeen bypass is seen as the best hope for ending the congestion woes in the city and the North-east.
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said the groundwork would involve taking soil samples over the next nine weeks.
dmaddox@ajl.co.uk
