Publication - FOI/EIR release

Driver frustration: EIR release

Published: 4 August 2022
Topic: Public sector, Transport
FOI reference: FOI/202200284929
Date received: 25 February 2022
Date responded: 24 March 2022

Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

Information requested

The names of all Transport Scotland-backed schemes and strategies that have placed a monetary value on the relief of ‘driver frustration’ during their development and assessment.

The total value placed on that relief of driver frustration, for each scheme/strategy.

The econometric methodology used to derive the monetary value, including the input variables.

The names, and associated figures, of all Transport Scotland-backed schemes that have used any methodology to calculate the value of the relief of walker, cyclist or public transport user frustration.

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.

I enclose most of the information requested, information found for:

The names of all Transport Scotland-backed schemes and strategies that have placed a monetary value on the relief of ‘driver frustration’ during their development and assessment.

A9 Dualling - https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/6727/a9-dualling-programme-case-for-investment-main-report-september-2016.pdf
A96 Dualling - https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/39256/strategic-business-case-september-2014-a96-inverness-to-aberdeen.pdf

The total value placed on that relief of driver frustration, for each scheme/strategy.

For A9 Dualling, see Annex A,
For A96 Dualling, see Annex B

The econometric methodology used to derive the monetary value, including the input variables.

See Annex C and Annex D

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exception(s) under regulation(s) 12(4)(d) (material which is still in the course of completion) of the EIRs applies to that information. The reasons why that exception(s) applies are explained in the Annex E to this letter.

However, under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested for:

The names, and associated figures, of all Transport Scotland-backed schemes that have used any methodology to calculate the value of the relief of walker, cyclist or public transport user frustration.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information about the names of Transport Scotland-backed schemes that have used any methodology to calculate the value of the relief of walker, cyclist or public transport user frustration, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

List of Annexes

Annex A – Table 6.10: Driver Frustration Benefits (£m, 2010 values and prices). 2016, Transport Scotland, A9 Dualling Case for Investment Main Report 2016, Transport Scotland. A9 Dualling – A9 Dualling, Case for Investment Main Report 2016, p68. Available at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/6727/a9-dualling-programme-case-for-investment-main-report-september-2016.pdf

Annex B – Table 28.1/Table 28.2: Economic Impact of the Preferred Option. 2020, A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen scheme, DMRB Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report, Volume 3 – Part 5, Assessment Summary and Preferred Option Recommendation, p28-2, p28-8. Available at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/48886/a96eohta-volume-3-part-5.pdf

Annex C – 2014, Transport Scotland, A9 Driver Frustration Stated Preference Research – Final Report, September 2014.

Annex D – 2016, Transport Scotland, Experimental studies of factors associated with driver frustration and overtaking intentions

Annex E – Exceptions

About FOI

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