Publication - FOI/EIR release

Transport Scotland Walking, Cycling and Horse Riding (WCHR) assessment and review for proposed crossing on the A84: EIR release

Published: 23 December 2025
Topic: Public sector, Transport
FOI reference: EIR/202500485455
Date received: 22 September 2025
Date responded: 1 October 2025

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

Information requested

BEAR Scotland, on behalf of Transport Scotland, has been asked to design and construct an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing point to assist mobility impaired users cross the A84 near Dobbies in Stirling. The scheme will comprise of an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing in the form of a 2m refuge island, dropped kerbs with tactile paving a refresh of road markings and studs and siding out of the verge.

Can you supply me with the Walking Cycling & Horse riding (WCHR) Assesment & Review for the proposed A84 DOBBIES STIRLING – UNCONTROLLED PEDESTRIAN CROSSING works.

There was a Walking Cycling & Horse riding review for this location completed by SWECO in May 2018 which recommended (on page 42) a cycling & walking crossing point.

If the latest WCHR does not explain why the crossing no longer includes facilities for cyclists can you send me the information explaining why the proposed crossing has been downgraded from walking & cycling to walking only.

The design guidance for a cyclist crossing of a road in Transport Scotland Cycle By Design (CbD) (page 124) says on a 40 mph (55-80kph) road an uncontrolled crossing is a "low level" of service that is "not suitable for a range of users, including novice and intermediate users. Shall be avoided unless the risk to these users is conveyed to the Overseeing Organisation by the designer and accepted by the Overseeing Organisation. See Section 2.4."
Meanwhile a light controlled (toucan) crossing is described in CbD as "Suitable for most users." including mobility impaired users which is the stated aim of these works
Can I see that acceptance notice please where the designer conveys these risks to overseeing organisation and they are accepted,
or the appropriate notice regarding the level of service and risk to pedestrian users and the acceptance of those risks by Transport Scotland.

Finally the proposed 2m deep crossing refuge is too small to accommodate some adapted cycles used by disabled people using cycles as mobility aids - see CbD page 17. I wish to see any correspondence considering the needs of such users at this location including consideration of a case for disability discrimination being brought under the Equality Act.

Response

The focus of this scheme was to provide a safer crossing point for mobility impaired members of the public who travel to and from Dobbies via the Northbound bus stop. Widening the foot ways to become shared use is out with the scope of this scheme, but could be considered in the future signalisation scheme.

The dropped kerb crossing point is intended as a short-term solution to assist pedestrians, mobility impaired and wheelchair users to cross between the two bus stops on either side of the A84. These improvements, including siding out of the footways and refreshing road markings, has been requested by the Transport Scotland Area Manager. This work will be superseded by a wider scheme which is still in its feasibility stage and will include improved facilities for cyclists. Currently, there is no timescale for when the wider improvement scheme will be completed.

At present, the footway on the northside of the A84 at the Dobbies Garden Centre access is not designated as shared use and is not suitable for use by cyclists. The footway adjacent to the bus stop is also not designated as shared use and is not suitable for cyclists. The SWECO report acknowledges this and makes recommendations for the foot way to be widened and converted to shared use. This improvement option will be considered as part of the wider scheme but is out with the scope of these works.

Please find attached a copy of the Statement of Intent (Annex A), map of existing cycling provision near to the junction (Annex B) the Design Check Certificate (Annex C) and the Walking, Cycling and Horseriding assessment (Annex D).

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.

Your request ‘the proposed 2m deep crossing refuge is too small to accommodate some adapted cycles used by disabled people using cycles as mobility aids - see CbD page 17. I wish to see any correspondence considering the needs of such users at this location including consideration of a case for disability discrimination being brought under the Equality Act’:

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. Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested because therefore there is no correspondence relating to road users other than those walking or wheeling. The 2m wide refuge has been designed to accommodate pedestrians, including those using wheelchairs. The adjacent footways and uncontrolled crossing are not designated for shared use, therefore cyclists - including those using adapted cycles - should not be using this space.

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 correspondence considering the needs of people using adapted cycles as mobility aids, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

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