Transport Scotland - Weak bridges status and maintenance: EIR release

 

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, I would like to know:

 

1. The number of road bridges maintained by Transport Scotland which are currently classed as substandard or weak, or which have been otherwise flagged as unable to carry their full load;

2. Of the bridges identified in 1., number of which are expected to return to full load-bearing capacity in the next 5 years;

 

3. The estimated cost of bringing all bridges identified in .1 up to their full capacity;

 

4. Of the bridges identified in 1., the number where maintenance has been delayed for cost reasons.

 

5. The number of bridges which have been closed for maintenance, whether routine or urgent, in the last 3 years.

 

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. There are 39 sub-standard 'road bridges' assessed as having a structural element with a load carrying capacity less than 40/44 tonnes, the current national loading standard. These
structures are managed in accordance with 8079 - The Management of Sub-Standard Highway Structures.

 

2. 9 'road bridges' are programmed to have sub-standard elements upgraded. However,
programme and progress depends on budget allocation and competing priorities.

 

3. The estimated cost of bringing all bridges identified in question 1, up to their full capacity is
£27.2m

 

4. Of the bridges identified in question 1, no maintenance has been delayed for cost reasons.

 

5. The Forth Road Bridge was temporarily closed to repair and replace the truss end links in
December 2015. No other bridge has been closed for routine or urgent maintenance in the last 3 years.

 

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