EIR/202500476157 · FOI/EIR · partially withheld
Reported and recorded sinkholes on roads data: EIR release
Information requested
I am seeking information about reported and recorded sinkholes on roads. This is a definition of a sinkhole: "A sinkhole is a type of void that has no natural external surface drainage. Basically, this means that when it rains, all of the water stays inside the sinkhole and typically drains into the subsurface over time dissolving the rocks beneath. This creates underground spaces and caverns."
My request: for the time period January 2020 to June 30th 2025, please provide the following:
- The total number of sinkholes reported by the public each year in your region - The total number of sinkholes officially recorded each year in your region - A list of the officially recorded sinkholes in your region, with these details: * Date sinkhole was reported (if reported by a member of the public) * Date sinkhole was officially recorded * Location of sinkhole (road or street name) * Depth (metres) - this can be approximate * Width (metres) - this can be approximate * What was the cost of the repair of the road due to this sinkhole? * What date was the repair completed? * Was the road closed due to this sinkhole (Y/N)? * What date was the road closed due to this sinkhole? * If the road closed, what date did the road reopen?
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.
Please see Annex A to this response for details as requested above.
It may be helpful to know that Transport Scotland Transport Scotland has contracts with Operating Companies and Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DFBO) contractors who maintain each section of the Trunk Road Network. Annex A provides details following returns from each of these operator's. If you require sinkhole information on local or non trunked roads please contact the relevant local authorities.
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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.