A legal challenge mounted by campaigners over the remit of the Aberdeen bypass has been rejected.

Representatives from groups such as Road Sense, the Scottish Green Party, Friends of the Earth Scotland and Transform Scotland demonstrated outside the opening of the Public Local Inquiry (PLI) into the £396M Aberdeen Peripheral Route on Tuesday.

They highlighted legislation at the start of the inquiry, which they claimed required it to consider options other than a new road. But the two reporters leading the inquiry rejected the challenge after taking legal advice.

They ruled it was a matter for the Scottish Government and widening the inquiry could also impact on the cost and timescale of the project.

The inquiry is to focus on the technical and environmental aspects around the choice of route. Ministers have accepted the principle of providing the Aberdeen western peripheral route, which aims to ease traffic and improve business.

Colin Howden, director of Transform Scotland, said: ‘The decision to restrict the scope of the inquiry is designed to silence and disenfranchise objectors to the road.’ They will consider the evidence over the next 10 weeks.