A group of Aberdeenshire residents say the construction of the AWPR has resulted in traffic streaming “right past their front doors” at all hours and shattered the peace in their once-quiet community.
People living on the outskirts of Balmedie, near Millden, are calling for transport bosses to erect sound-proof fencing between their homes and a slip road leading onto the busy £1 billion bypass.
Dave Douglas bought his “dream little cottage” at the spot but says developments connected to the new route have ruined his family’s enjoyment of it.
And his neighbours yesterday backed his calls for action, saying their children have been left at risk, with an embankment destroyed in order to bring the old A90 road 50 feet closer to their property.
Transport Scotland has said it is under no obligation to introduce sound-proofing measures.
But Mr Douglas wants the organisation to erect a barrier between the small hamlet and the road in order to screen it from the worst of the noise and traffic.
He claims a fence will be the only way to restore he and his neighbours’ privacy and protect youngsters.
Mr Douglas said: “We have been trying to get a soundproof fence put up adjacent to our property due to the increase in noise and the pollution coming from passing traffic.
“We are also concerned that flying stones will come off car wheels while our children are out playing on their bikes and injure them.
“The slip road was moved 50ft closer to my property to allow the traffic to come off the motorway and then go down the underpass into Balmedie.
“This means that all traffic going into Balmedie passes by my property, doing 60-70mph, throughout the day.
“I find that my little dream cottage – secluded from all passing traffic – is now wide open to all and sundry.”
His neighbours, David and Frances Macleod, last night echoed Mr Douglas’s concerns.
Mr Macleod said: “The noise is disruptive and it feels like our privacy has been taken away.”
Mrs Macleod added: “Before, we didn’t even see the road.
“Now it is right on top of us and I especially feel for our older next-door neighbour.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said there was “no requirement” for sound-proofing as environmental studies had shown that noise levels will drop once the scheme is “fully operational”.
But he added that contractors will monitor noise levels from then on and, if an increase is found, then “mitigation measures will be considered”.
