Repair work undertaken to sections of the M8: EIR review

Information requested

Full details of the damage existing on the carriageway over the time periods requested. Surely in briefing a contractor to repair the road, Transport Scotland would have first received full details of all the damage, including depths of the potholes, so that you could advise the contractor on what they need to come prepared to repair?

Response

Amey is responsible for the management and maintenance of the M8 motorway section of Trunk Road on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. It is not the duty of Amey to make all roads under their control completely safe, however their duty is to take reasonable care, having regard to all the circumstances, to maintain roads in a condition which is safe for road users who are themselves exercising reasonable care. Amey discharge this duty by adhering to specific contractual requirements. Amey is required to undertake regular inspections of the Trunk Road network and carry out repairs within certain specified
timescales.

I have reviewed all of the documentation available in regard to your first request and I am satisfied that the details of defects for this section of M8 motorway, for the time periods requested, that you have been furnished with (Annex A - Inspection Defect Summary Report) contain all of the defect information that Amey / Transport Scotland hold. Within Annex A, it illustrates the type and approximate location of defects recorded via routine inspections. The depth of defect is not routinely recorded as part of routine inspections. As this information is not available to Amey / Transport Scotland, I am satisfied that no information has been withheld from you.

The second part of your request calls in to question the competence of staff performing inspections. As aforementioned, Transport Scotland have a contractual arrangement in place with Amey to manage and maintain sections of our Trunk Road network. To do this, Amey employ Inspectors that are specifically trained to identify and categorise defects that they encounter on their regular inspections, which are then prioritised for repair within a predetermined response time, as per the Contract between Amey and Transport Scotland. Road Authorities must ensure that all Road Inspectors are competent. Transport Scotland ensure that Road Inspectors are competent via the Contract they have in place with Amey.

To conclude, having reviewed all of the information for this case, I am satisfied that no information has been withheld from you and that the competency of Road Inspectors carrying out regular inspections is as it should be.

I trust you find this information useful.

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.