Roadworks on southbound carriageway of M74, February 2016: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/17/01383
Date received: 14 June 2017
Date responded: 21 July 2017

Information requested

"I write to request information on the layout of the roadworks on the southbound carriageway of the M74 on 4th February 2016 from Junction 5 to Junction 7 southbound. Please forward any maps, site plans or other information held. Please advise of any speed restrictions in place there.

I also request information held showing the design of the temporary traffic management arrangements in place, traffic safety measures, identity and locations of traffic signs, closure of lanes etc. between Junctions 5 and 7. Any other information to show the roadworks in place on that date are requested."

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 find attached a copy of the traffic managements configuration on 4 February 2016 on the M74 southbound at Junction 5. Furthermore I can advise that the hard shoulder between Junction 5 and 6 was closed with temporary barriers where the roadworks ended. There was a temporary 50mph speed limit in place alongside Temporary Automatic Speed Camera at Roadworks (TASCAR) equipment and signage.

I have also attached a copy of a letter issued to you 2 August 2016, addressing your queries for Junctions 6 and 7.

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