Purpose of banding on A76 lamp posts and road sign posts: EIR release

Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.


Information requested

I have noticed that the yellow bandings that were put on lamp posts and road sign posts in and around Mauchline on the A76 have now been covered over with black tape.

Under FOI I would like to know:

  • What was the original purpose of putting yellow banding on these posts?
  • Why have these yellow bandings now been covered over with black bandings?
  • What was the cost of 1. and 2. above to the taxpayer?

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.

I have numbered this response for ease.

1. You asked what was the original purpose of putting yellow banding on lamp posts and road sign posts in and around Mauchline on the A76.

The Equality Act (2010) introduced a new public sector general equality duty. This means that inclusive design for disabled people needs to be considered in the construction, operation and maintenance of road infrastructure. Inclusive design is an approach which aims to create environments which can be used by everyone regardless of age or disability.

The yellow banding has been placed on the posts to accommodate visually impaired pedestrians that rely on residual vision, it is essential to ensure that the colour of street furniture contrasts with its surroundings. Colours which appear to be different from one another in colour (chroma) can be very similar tonally (e.g. green and brown) and therefore do not give sufficient contrast. Existing street furniture must provide sufficient tonal contrast and the application of a tonally contrasting treatment will be required to any street furniture in the footway.

2. You asked why have these yellow bandings now been covered over with black bandings.

The yellow banding installed in 2022 was replaced with black to be more sensitive to Mauchline Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme and following comments received by the elected members, the community council and the East Ayrshire Council Conservation officer. The black bands installed in 2024 still provide tonal contrast.

3. You asked what was the cost of 1. and 2. above to the taxpayer.

The cost for the yellow tonal banding: £2,506
The cost for the black tonal banding: £3,572

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

Contact

Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000

The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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