Information held by Transport Scotland relating to infrastructure projects: EIR release

Information requested

The Transport Scotland website provides information for a number of infrastructure projects that have been completed but there is a lack of information on the final cost of these projects. Could you please provide the final outturn cost for the following projects, or the most recent cost estimate that the Scottish Government holds where the final cost is not available:

• M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/m8-m73-m74-motorway-improvements/)
• A82 Crianlarich Bypass
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a82-crianlarich-bypass/)
• A96 Inveramsay Bridge
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a96-inveramsay-bridge/)
• M876 Glenbervie Connecting Road
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a96-inveramsaybridge/)
• A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a96-fochabers-and-mosstodloch-bypass/)
• M80 Stepps to Haggs
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/m80-stepps-to-haggs/)
• M74 Completion
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/m74-completion/)
• A737 Dalry Bypass
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a737-dalry-bypass/)
• A82 Pulpit Rock
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a82-pulpit-rock/)
• A77 Symington and Bogend Toll
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a77-symington-andbogend-toll/)
• A75 Hardgrove
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a75-hardgrove/)
• A75 Dunragit Bypass
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a75-dunragit-bypass/)
• A9 Crubenmore Dual Carriageway Northern Extension
  (https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a9-crubenmore-dual-carriageway-northern-extension/)

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.

The projects listed in your request for which Transport Scotland holds details of final outturn construction costs (excluding VAT) are:

Project	Final Outturn Construction Cost
A82 Crianlarich Bypass	£6.4m
M74 Completion	£439.8m (This project was delivered in partnership with Glasgow City Council, South Lanarkshire Council and Renfrewshire Council, with Transport Scotland providing a funding contribution of 88.43% of the costs.)
A75 Dunragit Bypass	£18.0m
A9 Crubenmore Dual Carriageway Northern Extension	£10.5m

Transport Scotland does not hold details of final outturn construction costs for the remaining projects listed in your request, for a variety of reasons which may include: the project concerned being a design, build, finance and operate contract with an expiry date that has not yet been reached; projects that are “Complete” in terms of being open to use but are within defects rectification periods and have not yet reached a final account; and projects for which Transport Scotland has provided contributions but was not responsible for the design, procurement and management. The most recent cost estimates (excluding VAT) that Transport Scotland holds for each of the remaining projects listed in your request are:

Project	Most Recent Cost Estimate
M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project	£491.3m (2013 prices)
M80 Stepps to Haggs Project	£321.2m (2008 prices)
A96 Inveramsay Bridge	£10.2m (2014 prices)
A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass	£31.5m (2009 prices)
A737 Dalry Bypass	£31.2m (2017 prices)
A82 Pulpit Rock	£9.2m (2013 prices)
A77 Symington and Bogend Toll	£10.6m (2013 prices)
A75 Hardgrove	£9.0m (2013 prices)
M876 Glenbervie Connecting Road	£2.8m (This project was delivered in partnership with Falkirk Council and Scottish Enterprise, with Transport Scotland providing a funding contribution of two-thirds of the costs.)

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