Speed control outages on the A75 trunk road at Springholm: EIR release

Information requested

You asked for information related to speed control outages on the A75 trunk road at Springholm and the 20mph roll out. For ease of reference I have listed your questions in our response below.

1a. Why is the community of Springholm being left to endure a situation where almost half of the vehicle activated speed control measures are now inoperative?

1b. Why are Amey simply allowed to operate a defect reporting system that gives no response to the person reporting yet the app has fields for adding that person's name, address and contact details which we completed?

1c. We wish to know the reasons for the VAS and traffic halt signal outages and the ongoing delay in restoring them to proper function?

1d. Why is there no apparent priority in responding to such signal outages given the egregious ongoing traffic risks proven to exist in the unbypassed A75 trunk route communities?

2. When the eastern and central portion of the A75 within Springholm was resurfaced the inductive loops previously cut into the surface were instead installed below the top layer during the resurfacing. This being much more satisfactory in terms of preventing the cables from becoming exposed. During the recent resurfacing at the west of the A75 within Springholm the then existing inductive loops and associated cable to the ATC/ traffic signal control unit were torn up during the road planing preparatory to resurfacing. We wish to know that the contractors were under clear instruction to replace these inductive loops and all associated connections to the ATC/ traffic signal control unit in the locations as before and that this duly took place before the top layer of the road was reinstated and antiskid and road markings applied thereon?

3a. Since our last FOI on the subject of the 2025 20 mph rollout target has Transport Scotland made any further progress in delivering 20 mph speed limits protections for the vulnerable in harm's way on or beside trunk route streets it controls across Scotland?

3b. Are you able to confirm that the A75 trunk route streets at Springholm and Crocketford will receive 20 mph limits this year?

3c. Your website says "If you hit someone at 30mph, they’re seven times more likely to die than at 20mph. To keep everyone safe in cities, towns and villages across Scotland, new reduced 20mph speed limits will be put in place on all appropriate roads." However is it not in fact the case that a local authority in exercise of an unfettered choice of action in the matter may simply not take steps to enact 20mph in many of its towns and villages?

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.

1a. Why is the community of Springholm being left to endure a situation where almost half of the vehicle activated speed control measures are now inoperative?

The resurfacing works on the A75 at Springholm were planned to be undertaken in multiple phases between Monday 24th February and the 4th March 2025 with overnight closures and a weekend closure in place to facilitate the works in a safe manner. The plan was to remove the loops as part of the resurfacing activity and reinstate (saw cut) the loops once the new surface is in place. This is standard procedure.

A specialist sub-contractor was programmed to install the loops on 4th March as part of the original phased works. Unfortunately, the sub-contractor became unavailable at short notice meaning the loop reinstatement scheduled for the 4th March is now rescheduled to be completed on April 3rd.

An additional power cable connecting to the traffic signals was also cut inadvertently which requires a third sub-contractor. The sub-contractor is currently planning to reinstate the power cable on 3rd April. There may be some activity on the 4th April for electronic equipment checks. Should these checks prove satisfactory the signals can be switched back on.

1b. Why are Amey simply allowed to operate a defect reporting system that gives no response to the person reporting yet the app has fields for adding that person's name, address and contact details which we completed?

There is a record that contact was made to Amey on 17 March 2025. Amey responded on 19 March . This is within Amey’s contractual response window.

1c. We wish to know the reasons for the VAS and traffic halt signal outages and the ongoing delay in restoring them to proper function?

I refer to response 1a.

1d. Why is there no apparent priority in responding to such signal outages given the egregious ongoing traffic risks proven to exist in the unbypassed A75 trunk route communities?

I refer to response 1a.

2. When the eastern and central portion of the A75 within Springholm was resurfaced the inductive loops previously cut into the surface were instead installed below the top layer during the resurfacing. This being much more satisfactory in terms of preventing the cables from becoming exposed. During the recent resurfacing at the west of the A75 within Springholm the then existing inductive loops and associated cable to the ATC/ traffic signal control unit were torn up during the road planing preparatory to resurfacing. We wish to know that the contractors were under clear instruction to replace these inductive loops and all associated connections to the ATC/ traffic signal control unit in the locations as before and that this duly took place before the top layer of the road was reinstated and antiskid and road markings applied thereon?

As advised above, the was to remove the loops as part of the resurfacing activity and reinstate (saw cut) the loops once the new surface is in place. This is standard procedure. Damage to the road surface is minimal as the saw cut is sealed with a tack coat.

During the replacement of the surface course, it was unavoidable to mill through the traffic loops. Amey recognised the necessity of this process to enhance the surface course. Consequently, Amey implemented a phased approach to facilitate the installation of new loops.

3a. Since our last FOI on the subject of the 2025 20 mph rollout target has Transport Scotland made any further progress in delivering 20 mph speed limits protections for the vulnerable in harm's way on or beside trunk route streets it controls across Scotland?

Since your previous FOI of 15 January 2025 regarding the roll out of 20 mph limits across Scotland, Transport Scotland has been progressing with implementation of 20 mph speed limits on the trunk road network in Scotland.

Temporary 20 mph speed limits in Perth and Kinross and Stirling, (Crieff, Comrie and Callander) originally brought in under spaces for people and revised using the current road assessment criteria have been made permanent.

Work has been progressing to make temporary 20 mph speed limits in the Highland Council area permanent.

As previously stated it is the intention that wherever possible, 20 mph speed limits on the trunk road are introduced at the same time as those on the Local Authority’s roads. This will simplify installation, provide a consistent message to drivers and prevent the abortive work of signage being installed at junctions by the Local Authority before potentially being removed shortly afterwards by Transport Scotland, or vice versa.

Transport Scotland is working with Local Authorities, Police Scotland and our operating companies to progress and deliver 20 mph speed limits on appropriate Trunk Roads across Scotland.

3b. Are you able to confirm that the A75 trunk route streets at Springholm and Crocketford will receive 20 mph limits this year?

It is Transport Scotland’s current aim to deliver 20 mph speed limits on all appropriate Trunk Roads by the end of 2025 and is continuing to work towards this.

3c. Your website says "If you hit someone at 30mph, they’re seven times more likely to die than at 20mph. To keep everyone safe in cities, towns and villages across Scotland, new reduced 20mph speed limits will be put in place on all appropriate roads." However is it not in fact the case that a local authority in exercise of an unfettered choice of action in the matter may simply not take steps to enact 20mph in many of its towns and villages?

The management of local roads remains a statutory duty of local authorities. It is for the local road authority to consider appropriate measures which will safeguard road users and residents, and to determine the priority that should be given to any road safety measures on their road network, including the setting of local speed limits and traffic calming measures.

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