Transport Scotland temporary traffic management systems: EIR release

Information requested

I write today specifically to ask about the situation in London Road at the entrance to Stair Park. There was a set of temps there after someone drove into the permanent lights and they were there , it felt, forever. I think within a month of that repair this more recent set appeared. Well over a year later they’re still there and not a single piece of work has been done in all that time. This would never happen anywhere else.

Can I ask what is going on but more importantly who is paying for their rental, who authorised this, why nothing has been done, how much it has cost to date, who is benefitting from it and why there has been such a ridiculous delay please?

Your request also included the following correspondence:- 

I’m looking to save the council an FOI request please could I have a summary of the following roads matters in relation to temporary traffic light systems.

What are the costs related to rental of temporary traffic management lights or do the council wholly use in house systems? (In this breakdown could I have a whole council figure and what the average day/week price is for leasing.)

What is the procurement procedure if we do lease these systems, are procurements mostly local or does it tend to be national firms?

Do DGC provide/lease traffic management systems for Transport Scotland?

Could I be given the correct contact in Transport Scotland to ask the same questions, or if officers are kind enough to ask on my behalf?

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.

In answer to your questions I can advise the following:-

The traffic lights at this location were first struck on 14 July 2023. Repair work was required to be designed and programmed for construction leading to repairs were undertaken on 29 November 2023.

The cost for this incident has been billed to the drivers Insurance Company.

The lights were again struck on 13 February 2024 with repairs required to be designed and agreed with a specialist contractor. The full traffic light system at this location was then upgraded and repairs completed by 8 November 2024.

In respect of responsiblity and cost. Amey, on behalf of Transport Scotland, undertakes the operation and maintenance of the A75 at this location. Amey advise the total cost of the temporary traffic lights was £36,329.82 with members of travelling public benefiting from safety afforded by the temporary traffic control measures put in place.

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, in respect of your constituents questions, we are refusing your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs.

This is because Amey, on behalf of Transport Scotland, undertakes the operation and maintenance of the A75 at this location with no involvement from Dumfries & Galloway Council (DGC) on the matters outlined above. If your constituent requires any further information regarding DGC's responsibilities or obligations in respect of road repairs or costs they may wish to contact them directly using this link 

Contact us - Dumfries and Galloway Council

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.