RUSSELL BORTHWICK

If a large part of the headlines in the North-east in 2018 focused on the will it-won’t it, hotly anticipated, and frustratingly delayed opening of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, then 2019 has to be about people in the region finally getting to reap the substantial economic benefits this development presents.

The oft-cited figures include an additional £6bn of income into the area, alongside 14,000 jobs over the next three decades but the opening of the AWPR will also lead to several direct effects for firms, including reduced business costs and higher productivity, enhanced access for freight to firms and the availability of a wider talent pool and customer base to businesses across the city, enabled by reduced commuting times and streamlined journeys.

These are just some of the short-term benefits of course. If we dig into the detail of the STAG appraisal documents linked to the AWPR, we can get a further breakdown of the predicted numbers. Much of the improvements come from substantial gains to existing businesses, with the aforementioned retail sector estimated to increase sales by 5%, and reduce costs by 1.7%. Tourism, another key sector as part of our region’s push towards economic diversification, is predicted to attain an even greater sales boost – at 5.6%.

Many of the long term economic benefits to the region, and to Scotland, are framed in terms of costs reductions. The oil and gas sector will see a reduction of 2% in related costs due to the project while the haulage industry is predicted to see a reduction of around 3% in costs within five years of the project’s completion – emphasising the benefits to our region’s competitiveness.

The appraisal also estimates that, across the next three decades, £105m of new business investment will be generated, which is expected to support around 600 new jobs. This is separate to the billions generated by the improved economic performance expected from many of our key sectors.

It’s important to remember that many of the jobs and investment linked to this project won’t appear by magic - a sustained effort is required from all of us across the region. With the significant gains of the AWPR project all too often overshadowed by debates around costs and deadlines, it’s incumbent on all of us to shout from the rooftops (or the roadside…) about the benefits this project is delivering across the North-east.

Russell Borthwick is chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.