A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement scheme: EIR release

Information requested

In relation to the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement scheme,

“1) How much has Transport Scotland spent on this project so far in total?

2) Please break down the total cost by what Transport Scotland has spent money on in general terms: ie, public consultation, the design process, surveying, etc.

3) Please tell me the original target cost of this project.”

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.

1) As of the date of your enquiry Transport Scotland has spent £2,794,639 on the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme.

2) Design and Development = £2,434,102 (of which, includes £138,260 stakeholder engagement/ public exhibitions & £239,781 survey fees with costs)
Public Consultation/ Publicity Costs = £52,263
Survey Works (including traffic analysis/ modelling) = £308,274.

3) The A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction cost forms part of a package of additional investment of £24 million alongside, but separate to, the Aberdeen City Region Deal as announced in 2016.

It is noted whilst some activities such as public consultation and site surveys have been affected by measures in place as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Transport Scotland and their design consultant continue to progress work on the project, where it is possible to do so, whilst complying with the Government’s physical distancing guidance.

About FOI

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.