Data for pedestrian crossings and traffic lights in Girvan: EIR release
Information request and response under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
Information requested
The information requested relates to a) the pedestrian (pelican) crossing on Vicarton Street in Girvan outside the ASDA supermarket at 15 Vicarton St, Girvan KA26 9HF and b) the traffic lights at the main crossroads in the centre of Girvan (the junction of Bridge St, Dalrymple St, Hamilton Street and Knockcushan Street).
1. Which organisation is responsible for determining the sequencing of the crossing and, in particular, a) the time for pedestrians to cross and b) the time pedestrians know they are safe ie before beeping stops.
Please include their contact details for complaints about this matter if this is not published.
2. The sequencing set for pedestrians over the past 3 years and the dates of change (you may ignore temporary arrangements during road works)
3. The equality impact assessment(s) or other assessments done to ensure that a suitable time is allocated to pedestrians (particularly elderly and disabled pedestrians who might be slow) to a) cross and b) the time before beeping stops (IE the time pedestrians know they are safe).
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.
Which organisation is responsible for determining the sequencing of the crossing and, in particular, a) the time for pedestrians to cross and b) the time pedestrians know they are safe ie before beeping stops. Please include their contact details for complaints about this matter if this is not published.
Amey, on behalf of Transport Scotland, is responsible for the management and maintenance of these crossings. Details on how to make a complaint to Amey can be found by using the following link - Complaints Handling Procedure.
The sequencing set for pedestrians over the past 3 years and the dates of change (you may ignore temporary arrangements during road works)
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 information you have requested because neither Transport Scotland, nor Amey, hold reports on the sequencing for these crossings. However, please see Annexes A and B to this response for inspection records held for the 2 crossings which includes details of the comprehensive checks carried out on the traffic signals to ensure their safe operation. Those operational checks include the traffic signal timings or sequencing as requested.
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 pedestrian crossing sequencing, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.
The equality impact assessment(s) or other assessments done to ensure that a suitable time is allocated to pedestrians (particularly elderly and disabled pedestrians who might be slow) to a) cross and b) the time before beeping stops (IE the time pedestrians know they are safe).
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 information you have requested because neither Transport Scotland, nor Amey, hold equality impact assessment(s), or other assessments for pedestrians using these crossings. We hope that the maintenance records contained within Annexes A and B provide you with reassurance that the traffic signals are routinely maintained and operating as they should be.
As way of an explanation, the 2 sites referred to are a stand-alone Puffin crossing at Asda at Vicarton Street and Montgomerie Street , and a signalised crossroads, with an all-round pedestrian phase using nearside indicators at Bridge Street. At both of these sites there are crossing detectors for pedestrians.
The bleepers only operate whilst the green man is illuminated, which would generally be set for about 4 seconds. This is only long enough for pedestrians to start to cross the road. Once they have started to cross, they are unable to view the green man.
Following the green man period comes a fixed all red period (usually 3 seconds), then there is an extendable all red period, which continues up to a maximum of 21 seconds based on the carriageway width, whilst the on-crossing detectors pick up people crossing. If the on-crossing detectors have failed, then the extendable all red will always run to its maximum.
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 equality impact statements, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.
About FOI
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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