Costs of investigative and remedial works on M8 Junction 16 and 17 (Woodside Viaduct): EIR release

Information requested

"Please can you tell me the total cost of all investigative and remedial works which have been, and will be carried out on M8 J16 - 17 (Woodside Viaduct), as detailed here:

https://trafficscotland.org/tsgms02/

I would also like to know what consultation was carried out with the local community in Woodside (and Glasgow more broadly) to determine whether they were in favour of spending this money or would have preferred to have the viaducts removed, as many other forward-thinking, climate- and wellbeing - oriented cities around the world are now doing?"

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 value of all investigative and remedial works, which have been carried out to date on M8 J16 - 17 (Woodside Viaduct), is £2.5m. The current estimated total cost is £33.6m.

Due to the strategic nature of the M8, removal of the viaducts was not considered. Therefore no consultation was undertaken on the Woodside Viaducts removal, however there has been robust and ongoing consultation with the local community, Glasgow City Council and other key stakeholders, as plans for the refurbishment are developed and implemented.

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