Gaelic translation on road signs: FOI release
- Published
- 17 January 2025
- Topic
- Public sector, Transport
- FOI reference
- FOI/202400443419
- Date received
- 3 December 2024
- Date responded
- 13 December 2024
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
1. Could you provide a list of primary destinations which will be provided with Gaelic translation on signs in the next two years and how many have been installed in the last three years, with a list of these?
2. How much has been spent on Gaelic signings for primary destinations on trunk roads in the last five years, with a breakdown of costs?
3. How much has been spent on replacing or amending incorrect Gaelic signs in the last five years, how many have been replaced/amended in the same timeframe, with a breakdown of costs?
Response
I have retained your numbering to aid with this response.
1. You asked for
- a list of primary destinations which will be provided with Gaelic translation on signs in the next two years.
- how many have been installed in the last three years, with a list of these.
Transport Scotland has no plans to provide Gaelic translation on primary destination signs in the next two years. Signs are replaced as required following annual inspections for condition and retro reflectivity or when damaged.
No primary destinations signs with Gaelic translation have been installed in the last three years. Notwithstanding the above, All Gaelic / English signing in Scotland follows the advice given from Transport Scotland’s guidance documents;
- Primary routes and destinations for Trunk Road signing (A Scottish update to the Dft document Local Transport Note 1/94) LTN 1/94 The Design and Use of Directional Informatory Signs
- Guidance on the use of Bilingual (Gaelic – English) traffic signs in Scotland Guidance on the use of Bilingual (Gaelic – English) Traffic Signs in Scotland | Transport Scotland
2. You asked how much has been spent on Gaelic signings for primary destinations on trunk roads in the last five years, with a breakdown of costs?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested. Transport Scotland does not have information on how much has been spent on Gaelic signings for primary destinations on trunk roads in the last five years, with a breakdown of costs. This is because the information is not recorded in this way and wording of a sign is only part of the cost and rates are based on size of signs.
This is a formal notice under Section 17(1) of FOISA that Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested.
3. You asked, how much has been spent on replacing or amending incorrect Gaelic signs in the last five years, how many have been replaced/amended in the same timeframe, with a breakdown of costs?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested. Transport Scotland does not have this information because the Gaelic wording is only a part of the cost of replacing a sign and is not recorded separately.
This is a formal notice under Section 17(1) of FOISA that Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested.
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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