Publication - FOI/EIR release

Transportation Noise Action Plan pilot at Renton documents: EIR release

Published: 11 March 2020
Topic: Public sector, Transport
FOI reference: FOI/202000017159
Date received: 14 February 2020
Date responded: 10 March 2020

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

Information requested

You asked for the following information in relation to the noise barrier pilot as part of the Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2019-2023 pilot at Renton.

1. Could you please make available to me the findings of your modelled noise levels findings as they pertain to both Carman Road and Upper Carman Road.

2. I would also request the specification of the absorptive barrier proposed and in particular its non-reflective attributes in as much as no noise will be accentuated to the residents of Upper Carman Road.

3. Can you please give me an indication of traffic volume on this roadway relative to that on the A82.

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.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information under points 1 to 3 of your request because exceptions have been applied. The reasons why the exceptions apply is explained in the Annex to this letter I have numbered my response for ease of reference.

1. I have included two technical notes (Attachment A: ‘Receptor Noise Level Changes’ and Attachment B: ‘Noise Modelling Approach) which show the results of modelling completed in the locale of Carmen and Upper Carmen Road.

I would note that further noise surveys (pre-commencement and post-completion) will be undertaken from both Carman Road and Upper Carman Road in due course.

2. The noise barrier material is timber to absorptive A3 classification from the supplier SafeRoad. The barrier design will be absorptive and constructed to 2.5 metres in height. I have attached the specification at Attachment C.

The modelling results within the initial technical note “Receptor Noise Level Changes” noted an increase of approximately 1dB for the residents of Upper Carman Road if a reflective barrier were used, however as an absorptive barrier is to be installed this increase is not predicted.

3. The information you have requested under point 3 of your request is available in the public domain. Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed below, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

In relation to your request regarding traffic flows on trunk roads - such as the Aberdeen Bypass and the A82 - following the Scottish Government's Open Data Strategy, Transport Scotland has developed the National Traffic Data System (NTDS), https://ntds.trafficscotland.org/, as an open data source for traffic count data collected across the Scottish Trunk Road Network. This website allows users to extract traffic-related data, from 2005 to date in a wide range of categories.

Annex - Reasons for not providing information
Exceptions apply - Reg 11(2)

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 1998.

Personal data such as names, email addresses, mailing addresses and telephone numbers of third parties have not been disclosed.

This exception is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.

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