M8 Junctions 15-18 and Erskine Bridge Project Information: EIR release

Information requested

"I hereby request the following information relating to the projects listed below"

M8 Junctions 15 to 18

• Detailed technical description of the works
• Original project programme
• Projected date by which restrictions on the M8 will be removed
• Projected overall completion date
• Original contract value
• Projected actual total contract cost

A898 Erskine Bridge

• Detailed technical description of the works
• Original project programme
• Projected completion date
• Original contract value
• Projected actual total contract cost

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.

Response to your request

To aid with your request I have numbered the responses.

M8 Junctions 15 to 18

1. Detailed technical description of the works.

Investigations into the condition of the supports of each viaduct (crossheads) were undertaken in late 2020 and early 2021. During the structural inspections the condition of the crossheads supporting the beams was found to be worse than anticipated. It was then deemed essential to prop the supporting crossheads to allow more extensive repairs to be undertaken.

The works involve propping the affected supports and carrying out repairs to the elements which support the deck. Propping requires excavation to foundation level, avoidance or re-positioning of many services and specially manufactured steel supports to be erected with jacks to remove load from the supports. Once jacking has taken place, repairs of the supports will be carried out and the jacks and propping removed. In some locations, due to services which cannot be moved, propping from foundation level is not possible and the deck will be propped via steel collars around the columns. At four locations around the SPT underground tunnels, special structures will be constructed to allow the deck to be propped and the load to be transferred to areas such that it doesn’t affect the tunnels. Again repairs will be undertaken and the jacks and propping removed.

To ensure the safety of road workers and the travelling public, speed and lane restrictions are in place on the M8 for the full length of the structures; the eastbound on-slip road at Junction 17, and westbound on-slip at Junction 15 and Junction 17 off-slips are closed.

The first stage of the construction programme involved excavations, piling and other ground works around the existing viaduct columns. This commenced in August 2021. The installation of the props at the first location followed in February 2022. There are 23 locations that require propping.

Design work for the permanent repairs is underway, with information gathered in parallel with the propping works being fed back into this process. An initial permanent repair trial will commence in summer 2023, which will allow the scheme designers to incorporate and address any further issues identified during construction into the final design.

2. Original project programme.

Propping and other enabling works were originally scheduled for completion in November 2023.

3. Projected date by which restrictions on the M8 will be removed.

The lane restrictions on the M8 are currently programmed for removal by late 2024 on completion of propping works.

4. Projected overall completion date.

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 are not able to provide a definitive timeline for the completion of the repair works because the associated design work is still underway. However, we can confirm that the enabling and propping works are currently programmed to continue until late 2024.

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 estimated completion date for the repair work to the M8 junctions 15 to 18, clearly we cannot provide information that we do not hold.

5. Original contract value.

The original estimated contract value for propping and enabling works was £33.6 million, from April 2021.

6. Projected actual total contract cost.

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 the projected costs for completion of the repair work as the associated design is still underway.

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 the estimated cost of the repair work to the M8 Junctions 15 to 18, clearly we cannot provide information that we do not hold. 

A898 Erskine Bridge

1. Detailed technical description of the works.

• Provision of temporary access to undertake the works
• Removal of the existing paint system
• Survey and inspect the condition of the existing steelwork once the paint is removed
• Steelwork repairs and strengthening prior to painting
• Installation of a new multi-coat system in accordance with the Specification for Highway Works
• Scope of works above will be applied to East cantilever, West cantilever, lower sloping webs and bottom flange and the bridge towers
• Refurbishment of the East and West footway panels
• Removal of redundant gas mains on the East and West cantilever sections

2. Original project programme.

• Contract start date: 2 May 2019
• West cantilever (Phase 1): 10 June 2019 to 7 September 2020
• East cantilever (Phase 2): 8 September 2020 to 23 September 2021
• Lower sloping webs and bottom flange (Phase 3): 24 September 2021 to 20 September 2022
• Bridge towers (Phase 4): 22 November 2021 to 8 June 2022
• Principal Contractor’s programmed completion date: 11 December 2022
• Contractual maximum completion date: 16 February 2023

3. Projected completion date.

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 are not able to provide a definitive timeline for the completion of the works. However, we can confirm that an Extension of Time for completion of the Works has been granted to 8 December 2025 and a further Extension of Time request has been submitted by the C. Spencer Ltd (Principal Contractor) and is currently being reviewed by Amey (South-West Operating Company).

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 estimated completion date for the repair work, clearly we cannot provide information that we do not hold.

4. Original contract value.

• £17,890,900.00

5. Projected actual total contract cost.

The projected total contract cost is currently estimated at £34,639,912.16. The cost has increased from the original estimate for the following reasons:

Steelwork Repairs

The contract contained a re-measurable element regarding steelwork repairs which amounted to £2,508,106.80. However, the full extent of required repairs cannot be determined until all paint has been removed. At Erskine, the quantity of repairs was considerably more than originally anticipated and the cost of steelwork repairs is currently estimated as £7,741,841.65.

Variations

A number of variations were required for works not included within the original scope of the painting contract. These included requirements due to cantilever strengthening; repairs to weld defects which occurred during the original construction; and Scottish Water pipe bracket repairs. The estimated total cost of cantilever strengthening is £2,856,125.06. The estimated total cost of the repairs to weld defects amounts to £2,420,272.56. The repairs undertaken to the Scottish Water pipe brackets are recoverable from Scottish Water with an estimated total cost of £895,456. The total cost of all variations cannot be determined until all paintwork has been removed and all of the underlying steelwork inspected, however the current estimated total cost is £7,006,325.04.

Contractual Claim

The estimated total cost includes several claims by the Contractor which have still to be fully substantiated and assessed. The cost of claims is currently estimated as £4,508,952.27 (including £285,674.29 due to COVID-19).

We do not have the actual final cost, as the steelwork repairs, variations and claims are of unknown final value at this stage and require to be fully assessed and determined. Therefore the total below is the current estimate and not necessarily the actual final cost.

Item	Estimated Cost (£)
Lump sum	15,382,793.20
BOQ (steelwork repairs)	7,741,841.65
Variations	7,006,325.04
Claims	4,508,952.27
Total	34,639,912.16

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 the estimated cost of the Works to the Erskine Bridge, clearly we cannot provide information that we do not hold.

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.