Traffic data on A85 from 2011 to 2021: EIR release

Information requested

With regard to the A85 through Taynuilt, you asked for "data and analysis of traffic numbers, types and speeds as it passes through our village."

On 24 November you clarified that you "would like to request the latest data,(raw data and any analysis), between 1/11/2019 and 1/11/2021 you may have on traffic speeds, types and volumes on the A85 as it passes through Taynuilt in Argyll within the 30mph zone."

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.

Please see Annex A to this request for a copy of the traffic data through Taynuilt for the period 1 July 2021 until 14 July 2021. This data was collated during a one off speed survey.

Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), Transport Scotland is not required to provide information which it does not have. We do not have some of the information you have requested because there is not a permanent traffic counter at the location you are interested in. The nearest counter is over 4 miles to the south of Taynuilt.

This exception 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 exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information about traffic data, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

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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.

FOI202100256840 - Annex A

File type

Excel document

File size

3.3 MB