A90 Glencarse Bridge: EIR release

Information requested

With regards to the Glencarse Bridge at St Madoes you asked for the following information:

1. Who asked for an environmental study to be carried out?
2. What was reason that the study was carried out?
3. Date the study started and finished.
4. What form did study take?
5. Who carried out the study?
6. How long will the study be good for?
7. What plans are in place to ensure the bridge is not hit again?
8. When will work on fixing the bridge be started?”

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.

1. Our Operating Company Amey, who are responsible for the management and maintenance of the trunk road network for the North East of Scotland, undertook the mandatory study to comply with environmental legislation.

2. As part of the design process Amey were required to carry out the study do so to ensure compliance with legislation and meet statutory obligations.

3. The initial environmental review report was started on the 11th of May 2023 and was approved on 6th September 2023.

4. The initial environmental review included a screening and scoping of the main environmental and sustainability factors and impacts. This evaluation highlighted the need for further study. The study included an initial desk study and surveys of the works area/site. The report focused on the key environmental and sustainability issues of relevance to the proposed scheme.

5. Our Operating Company; Amey’s Environmental Team carried out the study.

6. The environmental surveys are valid for 18 months.

7. The existing bridge headroom is greater than the standard minimum clearance of 5.03 metres and it is the responsibility of drivers of high vehicles to ensure that their vehicle/load does not exceed this height. Despite the foregoing, we are planning to undertake a technical review into possible mitigation measures which could be put in place at the structure to help prevent future bridge strikes

8. Specialist structural testing and investigation works commenced on 12 November and were completed by 19 November, allowing the A90 lane closure to be lifted. These works will help inform what will be required by way of a permanent repair to restore the integrity of the bridge. Once the permanent repair is designed we will procure specialist sub-contractors and publicise a repair programme; as such, at this time there is currently no definitive timeline for the permanent bridge repair.

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.