Transport Scotland - Road congestion A82: EIR release

Information requested

From the period 2019 to 2024:

How much traffic was on the A82 per year?

How many incidents were logged accidents / deaths?

Specifically data of congestion in and around Fort William.

How many slow lane passing places due to the influx of traffic, primarily motorhomes have you created in Lochaber to help eleviate slow moving vehicles/ congestion?

What plans do Transport Scotland have to improve roads, ease congestion in lochaber i.e Fort William, Glenfinnan etc and prevent parking in passing places/ side of the road?

If your allowed to park in a layby, how long is it for? How is that policed? What steps are taken to prevent over spill past the laybys onto the verges? Is there clear signage for passing places/ as opposed to laybys? What is Transport Scotland doing to future proof the thousands of illegal parking and motor homes in our area?

On 4 June you confirmed that the road traffic accident data and traffic flow information should be provided for the Glencoe to Invergarry section of the A82 trunk road.

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 a copy of the traffic data as requested.

Please see Annex B to this response for some of the Accident data 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. Transport Scotland only holds information on road traffic accidents that have resulted in personal injury’.

This exception 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 exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information about road traffic accidents, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

How many slow lane passing places due to the influx of traffic, primarily motorhomes have you created in Lochaber to help eleviate slow moving vehicles/ congestion?

There is only one lay-by on the A82 which is specifically signed for the purposes of vehicles pulling in to let others pass by. This is to the north of Balchraggan. All other laybys have the dual purpose of being a refuge areas for drivers to pull in and rest; as well as being available for slower moving vehicles to pull in and to let others pass.

What plans do Transport Scotland have to improve roads, ease congestion in Lochaber i.e Fort William, Glenfinnan etc. And prevent parking in passing places/ side of the road.

The information you have requested is available from the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) Summary Report on the Transport Scotland Website. Please view recommendation 32, Trunk road and motorway renewal for reliability, resilience and safety to see details for Fort William.

The Scottish Parliament website will also have information you may find useful. Kate Forbes asked a Parliamentary Question regarding Fort William’s Integrated Transport Plan in September 2023.

Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Transport Scotland has invested £193.3 M on the entire A82 and £44 M on the A830 between April 2007 and September 2023. Spend is needs based and the Lochaber area has featured appropriately throughout that time. Estimated spend within the Lochaber area by Transport Scotland for Financial year 2024/25 is as follows:

• A830 East of Beasdale - £441,909.61
• A830 East of Ranochan - £189,903.70
• A830 Drusallie - £131,604.48
• A830 East of Glenfinnan - £125,945.08
• A830 East of A861 Junction - £198,987.63
• A82 Corrychurrchan - £559,000
• A82 North of A86 Junction - £331,000
• A82 Nevis Roundabout - £50,000
• A82 Letter Finlay - £158,000
• A82 Glen Gloy - £350,000
• A82 North of Invergloy - £300,000
• A82 South of Invergloy - £50,000
• A82 South of Laggan Swing Bridge - £150,000
• A830 near Lochaber High School - programmed date and costs are still to be confirmed

Specifically to ease congestion, our Operating Company, BEAR Scotland will carry out a layby survey f the existing layby facilities on the A82, from Crianlarich to Fort William. That will identify frequency, conformity to standard and condition. This information will then allow BEAR to prioritise a programme of layby upgrades when budgets allow.

If your allowed to park in a layby, how long is it for? How is that policed? What steps are taken to prevent over spill past the laybys onto the verges. Is there clear signage for passing places/ as opposed to laybys.

Transport Scotland imposes no restriction on parking times in laybys. Police Scotland is empowered to take action on those who park inappropriately on verges and or who overspill laybys in hazardous fashion. There is clear signage for passing places as opposed to laybys.

What is Transport Scotland doing to future proof the thousands of illegal parking and motor homes in our area?

Local authorities who have Decriminalised Parking Enforcement powers in Scotland, including The Highland Council, are responsible for parking enforcement on local roads in their area. In this instance, if the issues are on the trunk road network, enforcement would fall to the Police.

Transport Scotland works with Police Scotland and the Highland Council to address inappropriate parking. For example in Glenfinnan, Transport Scotland has promoted. No Parking at Any Time restrictions on the A830 within the village. Whilst Police Scotland are current enforcing this Order, Transport Scotland is currently in discussion with the Highland Council on Glenfinnan being included within their DPE (Decriminalisation of Parking Enforcement) areas.

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.

FOI 202400414667 - Information released - Annex A

File type

Excel document

File size

435.3 kB

FOI 202400414667 - Information released - Annex B

File type

Excel document

File size

1.3 MB