Cost of repairs to M8 J16 - 17 (Woodside Viaduct): EIR release

Information requested

The updated total cost of all the investigative and repair works which have been, and will be carried out at this site (M8 J16 - 17 Woodside Viaduct), as well as an updated timeline for the completion of all this work.

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.

Response

To aid with my response I have separated your request below:

1. Total cost of Investigative and repair work carried out
   The total cost of investigative and repair works up to 19 January (date of your request) is £29.6 million. This includes enabling works and propping of the viaducts, which are required in order to carry out the repair works and parapet replacement.
    
2. Estimated costs for completion
   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. We do not have the estimated costs for completion of the repair work as the associated design is still underway. However, the estimated cost of the propping work is £81.6 Million.
   
   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 the estimated cost of the repair work to the Woodside Viaducts, clearly we cannot provide information that we do not hold.
    
3. Timeline for completion of works
   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. We are not able to provide a definitive timeline for the completion of the repair works because the associated design work is still underway. However, we can confirm that the enabling and propping works are currently programmed to continue until late 2024.
   
   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 the estimated programme of the repair work to the Woodside Viaduct, clearly we cannot provide information that we do not hold.

About FOI

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