Emergency Roadside Telephones (ERTs) and ERT maintenance statistics: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.


Information requested

Information about the frequency of drivers using Emergency Roadside Telephones (ERTs) and ERT maintenance.

Response

I have kept your numbering for ease of reference

1. How many Emergency Roadside Telephones do/did you have in operation on the 30th June 2024?

There were 922 emergency roadside telephones in operation on this date

2. How many calls did you receive from drivers from Emergency Roadside Telephones in 2003, 2013, and 2023?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. 

This is because records are not held for 2003.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

The following is the information we do hold.

2003: Data not held

2013: Data not held

2023: 1286

2024 up to 30th June: 569

3. What was the location of the top 10 most frequently used ERTs? (eg: M6, J XX/XX) in 2023?

1 TEL/M8/3775W

2 TEL/M8/7165W

3 TEL/M8/6388W

4 TEL/M8/6998E

5 TEL/M8/6621W

6 TEL/M74/6306N

7 TEL/M74/9410N

8 TEL/M74/11700N

9 TEL/M74/6004S

10 TEL/M74/8810N

4. How many breakdowns, on your network, were you notified of through other channels (not ERTs) in each of the following years.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs.

This is because records are not held for 2003.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

Please see below information we do hold

2003: Data not held

2013: 19

2023: 3304

2024 up to 30 June: 1430

5. If available, please provide a breakdown of the number of notifications you receive from other channels (not ERTs) in 2023.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested. Therefore we are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. 

This is because SOS buttons are not used in Scotland.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

Please see below information we do hold

Police/ Emergency services: 15

Breakdown providers: 1575

SOS buttons: Not used in Scotland

Drivers calling from their mobile phone: 937

6. How frequently are the phones maintained?

The phones are maintained every three months.

7. What is the average response time to connect a phone call from an ERT to an operator?

The average response time to connect phone calls is 4 seconds.

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.

Contact

Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000

The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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