30 August 2011 Last updated at 04:37 ET

Petition against Aberdeen bypass objection gets support

The AWPR is aimed at creating a fast link to the north, west and south of Aberdeen

An online petition urging a campaign group to drop their opposition to the Aberdeen bypass has attracted the support of thousands of people.

Campaigners against the construction of the bypass plan to launch a fresh legal challenge.

An Aberdeen man set up the petition on Friday, calling for campaign group Roads Sense to end their efforts.

It has now attracted more than 4,000 online signatures.

The petition claims the group's actions are threatening the local economy.

An appeal at the Court of Session, which was recently rejected, delayed the construction of the £400m Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).

The bypass was originally given the go-ahead by Scottish ministers in December 2009 following a public inquiry.

Many business leaders in the area support the project.

Opponents criticise the cost and environmental impact of the plan, which is aimed at creating a fast link to the north, west and south of Aberdeen.