· FOI/EIR · partially withheld
Studies carried out by Transport Scotland for M80: EIR release
Information requested
A summary and costs of all studies carried out by Transport Scotland for the M80 in the last ten years.
This request was clarified to be limited to studies undertaken after the works have been completed, for example the study which led to the decision to extend the Old Inns junction and any other studies thereafter.
Response
As the information you have requested is 'environmental information' for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.
This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.
The details requested are contained in Annexes A, B, C and D attached with this response:
Annex A – Interim Assessment of Traffic Movements at Castlecary Junction Slip Roads Annex B – Castlecary Junction – Options Report Annex C – M80 Operational Assessment Stage 1 – Hornshill Junction 3 to M80/M876 Junction Annex D – M80 Operational Assessment Hornshill and Old Inns Junction
These documents relate to operational studies undertaken on the M80 Stepps to Haggs Upgrade route, post completion, and were undertaken at a cost of approximately £82,000.
In addition to the studies attached, programmed evaluation reports are undertaken at defined periods post completion of infrastructure schemes, therefore please find below the link to the Transport Scotland website for the published One Year After (1YA) Evaluation Report for M80 Stepps to Haggs: https://www.transport.gov.scot/transport-network/roads/project-evaluation/
An exception under regulation 10(4)(d) of the EIRs (unfinished or incomplete information) applies to some of the information you have requested because it is material which is still in the process of completion. This relates to the Three Year After (3YA) Evaluation Report for M80 Stepps to Haggs which is still being worked on.
This exception is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is some public interest in release as part of open, transparent and accountable government and this will be met by our planned publication within twelve weeks. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that unfinished information which is still in being worked on is not disclosed when it might misinform the public on the matter to which the information relates. On publication the Three Year After (3YA) Evaluation Report for M80 Stepps to Haggs will be available to view on the Transport Scotalnd website at the above link.
Detected exemption language
We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA. This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. In addition to the studies attached, programmed evaluation reports are undertaken at defined periods post completion of infrastructure schemes, therefore please find below the link to the Transport Scotland website for the published One Year After (1YA) Evaluation Report for M80 Stepps to Haggs: https://www.transport.gov.scot/transport-network/roads/project-evaluation/ An exception under regulation 10(4)(d) of the EIRs (unfinished or incomplete information) applies to some of the information you have requested because it is material which is still in the process of completion.