Publication - FOI/EIR release

Weather conditions during accident on A83 Cairndow/Arrochar Road: EIR release

Published: 15 November 2017
Part of: Public sector, Transport

Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

FOI reference: FOI/17/02382
Date received: 9 October 2017
Date responded: 13 November 2017

Information requested

Accident Date: 26 March 2015 at approximately 14:05

Accident Locus: A83 Cairndow/Arrochar Road at Loch Restil Cairndow/Argyll approximately 400 Metres north of its junction with B878 Gleann Mor Road

We write with reference to the above.

We have been advised by Police Scotland that you have a weather station nearby to the above stated locus.

Please provide the following documentation under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 for the period from 26 March 2015 around 12:00 p.m. until 26 March 2015 at 17:00 p.m.:

(i) Full report of the weather condition around the above stated date and time;
(ii) Any reports of weather warning to road users on or around the above stated date and time.'

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.

(i) Please find attached the following Annex A – Weather Report from the weather station around the above stated date and time.
(ii) Please refer to Annex B which includes information regarding weather warnings. You may also wish to contact The Met Office at https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/legal/foi who may be able to help you.

In June this year, a wind gauge was installed at Loch Restil following reports of wind related incidents at this location. This is being monitored over a 12 month period to establish if there is a significant difference between this location and the existing wind gauge at Rest and be Thankful.

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