Welcome for bypass hearing A Public inquiry is to be held early next year into plans for the long-awaited Aberdeen bypass.

A Public inquiry is to be held early next year into plans for thelong-awaited Aberdeen bypass.

The hearing will consider objections to the proposed bypass, whichalready number around 7,500.

Opponents of the plans have welcomed the announcement by TransportMinister Stewart Stevenson.

They claim a detailed examination of the plans would show them tobe "flawed".

Mr Stevenson also announced additional facilities to lodgeobjections via a Transport Scotland project website.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has published orders todayrelating to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, giving details ofhow to object.

Mr Stevenson, pictured, said: "It has always been likely that ascheme of this size would be subject to a public local inquiry.

"Now the final set of orders have been published, we will moveforward to the next stage in the statutory process.

"The objection period for the road and compulsory purchase ordershas another two weeks to run. It is important that people who wish tosubmit objections do so within that timeframe.

"I have arranged for a dedicated e-mail address to be set up forobjections. In view of disruption caused by the postal dispute, thiswill provide an alternative means of submitting objections."

Henry Irvine-Fortescue, vice-chairman of Roadsense, the groupopposed to the scheme, said: "We believe that when the detail isexamined at the inquiry, the whole project will be seen to be flawed.

"It won't solve Aberdeen's congestion problems, and is the mostenvironmentally-damaging route."

The bypass is expected to cost between pounds295 and pounds395million.

A public meeting is being held by Roadsense at the InternationalSchool in Milltimber on Saturday at 1pm.