The project involves the construction of approximately 500m of new dual carriageway connecting the A90 North Anderson Drive and the A96 Auchmill Road.

As well as reducing congestion and improving journey time reliability, this project will bring about an improvement in road safety and provide new pedestrian and cycling routes through the local area.

Minister for transport & islands, Humza Yousaf, said: “Today marks a major milestone in delivering relief for drivers and communities across the North-east area.

“Starting procurement on this much needed improvement now, highlights the Scottish Governments commitment to tackling the bottleneck at Hauadagain roundabout and will ensure that we are ready to hit the ground running as soon as the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is open to traffic.

“Completion of the AWPR will take traffic away from the streets of Aberdeen and improve air-quality to some 75,000 houses, that coupled with the removal of the bottleneck roundabout at Haudagain, will deliver improved journey times for strategic and local traffic bringing much needed relief to road users and communities in the north-east.”

The construction value of the A90/96 Haudagain Improvements contract is currently estimated at approximately £18 million. An advance site preparation works contract will also be procured in the coming months with works due to commence early in 2018 in advance of the main works.