A75, A77 and M8 maintenance and improvement work: EIR release

Information requested

1. Annual spending on A75 road maintenance since 2015

2. Annual spending on A75 improvement/expansion works since 2015

3. Spending on A75 improvement/expansion works since 2015, delineated by project

4. Annual spending on A77 road maintenance since 2015

5. Annual spending on A77 improvement/expansion works since 2015

6. Spending on A77 improvement/expansion works since 2015, delineated by project

7. Annual spending on M8 road maintenance since 2015

8. Annual spending on M8 improvement/expansion works since 2015

9. Spending on M8 improvement/expansion works since 2015, delineated by project

Response

1. Please find below table containing maintenance expenditure on the A75. We hold this information in financial years and the final total has been rounded to nearest £100,000.

Financial Year	A75 Road Maintenance Spend
2015/2016	£6,817,839
2016/2017	£9,825,044
2017/2018	£9,075,475
2018/2019	£10,532,006
2019/2020	£11,714,110
2020/2021	£10,341,775
2021/2022	£16,284,878
2022/2023	£14,354,062
Total	£88.9 million

In regards to spend on A75/A77/M8 road maintenance for 2023/2024 financial year, the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held) applies.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), Transport Scotland is not required to provide information which it does not have. This is because the latest figures we hold for A75/A77/M8 Road Maintenance is March 2023.

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. While we recognise there may be some public interest in road maintenance spend in financial 2023/2024 clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

2/3. Please find below two tables containing the information requested which we hold in financial years to date of your request, 25 September 2023. The figures include spend from 2015 to date for taking the various component projects through design and statutory process stages, acquisition of land, demolition and preparatory works, procurement of contractors to construct the works, as well as costs of construction works undertaken to date. The figures provided are inclusive of VAT where applicable.

Financial Year	A75 Improvement/expansion works spend
2015/2016	£739,948.20
2016/2017	£220,948.22
2017/2018	£131,325.03
2018/2019	£239,195.40
2019/2020	£471,350.76
2020/2021	£137,461.72
2021/2022	£0
2022/2023	£3,090.28
2023/2024 (up to date of request, 25 September 2023)	£0
Total	£1,943,319.61

Project	Total Spend since 2015
A75 Dunragit Bypass	£1,285,393.22
A75 Hardgrove	£581,565.64
A75 Cairntop to Barlae	£76,360.75
Total	£1,943,319.61

4. Please find below table containing maintenance expenditure on the A77. We hold this information in financial years and the final total has been rounded to nearest £100,000.

Financial Year	A77 Road Maintenance Spend
2015/2016	£4,326,055
2016/2017	£5,820,591
2017/2018	£10,107,672
2018/2019	£7,536,072
2019/2020	£9,353,650
2020/2021	£13,023,917
2021/2022	£16,444,040
2022/2023	£19,699,381
Total	£86.3 million

In regards to spend on A77 road maintenance for 2023/2024 financial year, the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held) applies. Please refer to details provided in question 1 answer.

5/6. Please find below two tables containing the information requested which we hold in financial years to date of your request, 25 September 2023. The figures include spend from 2015 to date for taking the various component projects through design and statutory process stages, acquisition of land, demolition and preparatory works, procurement of contractors to construct the works, as well as costs of construction works undertaken to date. The figures provided are inclusive of VAT where applicable.

Financial Year	A77 Improvement/expansion works spend
2015/2016	£444,660.24
2016/2017	£332,875.99
2017/2018	£1,457,788.64
2018/2019	£2,549,312.99
2019/2020	£9,404,852.75
2020/2021	£9,692,784.81
2021/2022	£25,810,469.17
2022/2023	£8,437,978.99
2023/2024 (up to date of request, 25 September 2023)	£176,047.49
Total	£58,306,771.07

Project	Total Spend since 2015
A77 Maybole Bypass	£57,527,563.17
A77 Haggstone Climbing Lane & A77 Glen App Improvements	£46,088.17
A77 Park End to Bennane	£21,050.01
A77 Symington to Bogend Toll	£712,069.72
Total	£58,306,771.07

7. Please find below table containing maintenance expenditure on the M8. We hold this information in financial years and the final total has been rounded to nearest £100,000.

Financial Year	M8 Road Maintenance Spend
2015/2016	£11,610,606
2016/2017	£10,960,518
2017/2018	£17,028,450
2018/2019	£18,844,592
2019/2020	£13,145,467
2020/2021	£16,250,780
2021/2022	£40,654,072
2022/2023	£55,214,992
Total	£183.7 million

In regards to spend on M8 road maintenance for 2023/2024 financial year, the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held) applies. Please refer to details provided in question 1 answer.

In addition, the exception at 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held) applies in respect of spend on M8 maintenance of the M8 between junctions 6 and 10, which form part of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvement project.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), Transport Scotland is not required to provide information which it does not have. I can advise that as the M8 M73 M74 Improvement Project operates under a Design Build Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract, Transport Scotland pay a monthly unitary charge and therefore the amount spent on maintenance cannot be disaggregated from the overall cost of the project.

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. While we recognise there may be some public interest in the amount of money spent on M8 maintenance as part of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvement project clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

8/9. Please find below two tables containing the information requested which we hold in financial years to date of your request, 25 September 2023. The figures include spend from 2015 to date for taking the various component projects through design and statutory process stages, acquisition of land, demolition and preparatory works, procurement of contractors to construct the works, as well as costs of construction works undertaken to date. The figures provided are inclusive of VAT where applicable. Please note that the figures also include payments made in respect of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvement project. As costs specific to the M8 improvement/expansion cannot be disaggregated from these payments, a proportion of these payments relates to improvement/expansion of the M73 and M74 and maintenance of the sections of the M8, M73 and M74 included in this contract.
 

Financial Year	M8 Improvement/expansion works spend
2015/2016	£20,336,981.03
2016/2017	£43,687,026.36
2017/2018	£79,599,441.92
2018/2019	£41,143,824.00
2019/2020	£47,607,734.59
2020/2021	£41,613,160.99
2021/2022	£50,481,379.78
2022/2023	£51,731,458.23
2023/2024 (up to date of request, 25 September 2023)	£17,513,227.31
Total	£393,714,234.21

Project	Total Spend since 2015
M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements	£393,681,142.33
A725 Raith Interchange (M74)	£33,091.88
Total	£393,714,234.21

In regards to spend on the improvement/expansion of the M8, the exception at 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held) applies in respect of spend on expansion of the M8 between junctions 6 and 10, which form part of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvement project.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), Transport Scotland is not required to provide information which it does not have. I can advise that as the M8 M73 M74 Improvement Project operates under a Design Build Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract, Transport Scotland pay a monthly unitary charge and therefore the amount spent on improvement/expansion of a particular length of road cannot be disaggregated from the overall cost of the project.

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. While we recognise there may be some public interest in the amount of money spent on improvement/expansion of the M8 as part of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvement project clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.