A96 dualling programme costs for the Aberdeen to East of Huntly stretch: EIR release
- Published
- 20 January 2025
- Topic
- Public sector, Transport
- FOI reference
- EIR/202400445543
- Date received
- 26 November 2024
- Date responded
- 18 December 2024
Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
Information requested
Broken down by year, how much has been spent on the Aberdeen to East of Huntly stretch of the A96 dualling programme, first announced in 2011 please? This includes any costs associated with the dualling project.
Can you also tell me how much has been spent on work and investigations into both the Inverurie and Keith Bypass as part of the A96 dualling project, first announced in 2011, broken down by year from when the announcement was made?
Response
As all of 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.
In regards to the dualling of the A96, under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. We have applied this regulation to the breakdown of costs in relation to the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen section from 2017 to 21 March 2024. This information has been released under Environmental Information Regulations which can be accessed via the Scottish Government’s website online at; https://www.gov.scot/publications/.Please see below relevant reference number:
- EIR 202400405839
From the 21 March 2024 up to the date of this request, a further amount of £15,497.43 has been spent.
We are refusing the second part of your request under the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. We do not hold information on how much has been spent on work and investigations into Keith Bypass as part of the A96 dualling project.
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 the requested information, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.
In terms of how much has been spent on work and investigations into an Inverurie Bypass as part of the A96 dualling project, this is included in the breakdown of costs in relation to the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen section as provided above and case reference number EIR 202400405839.
Further Information
You may be aware that since August 2021 Transport Scotland has been undertaking a transparent, evidence based review of the A96 Dualling Programme (the A96 Corridor Review). Transport Scotland has published in draft for consultation the outcomes from the detailed appraisal carried out as part of the A96 Corridor Review on the 28 November 2024. The feedback received from members of the public and key stakeholders will be key in helping inform the Scottish Government’s final decision on how best to take forward improvements to the A96 Corridor whilst also balancing the demands of the challenging economic climate and the climate emergency, and will inform timescales going forward.
The consultation period runs for a period of 12 weeks from 28 November 2024 till Friday 21 February 2025. During this time we are asking the public and other stakeholders to complete an online survey relating to the A96 corridor. This is to help us understand the views of local people, businesses and communities on the outcomes of the Review, to what extent the outcomes address their travel priorities along the corridor and how the outcomes should be prioritised. Links to the Corridor Review material are on the Transport Scotland website and the A96 Corridor Review Story Map have been provided below for your information:
Transport Scotland A96 Corridor Review website – https://www.transport.gov.scot/our-approach/strategy/a96-corridor-review/
A96 Corridor Review Story Map - https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/46a76788ae2141ce8f52f7949baf0f19/page/Home/
Since commencement of the A96 Corridor Review in August 2021, design development of the East of Huntly to Aberdeen section has been paused pending the outcome of the Review. However, during this time, the design consultants for the scheme have continued to provide support to Transport Scotland in undertaking this robust appraisal and assessment work. Prior to the commencement of the A96 Corridor Review, design consultants were yet to be appointed to take forward the development and assessment of East of Fochabers to East of Huntly section of the A96, which includes the section at Keith.
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
There is a problem
Thanks for your feedback