Closure of Kessock Bridge in Inverness: EIR release

Information requested

I am looking to find out, how many times the Kessock Bridge in Inverness has been closed due to 'concern for person' incident from the 6th of January 2025 to the 31st of August 2025. An electronic copy will be ideal.

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.

Transport Scotland has been made aware of one bridge closure due to vulnerable persons within the time-frame requested.

However as Police Scotland is the Authority responsible for installing closures on Kessock Bridge in such circumstances Transport Scotland is not always provided with full reasons for the closures. As such, we do not hold the full number of closures as a result of vulnerable individuals. However, you may wish to contact Police Scotland at foi@scotland.police.uk who may be in a position to provide further information.

Please note that there is usually an understanding within the media where it is accepted that highlighting such issues is not in the public interest. While it is appreciated that incidents on the bridge have a significant impact on the local community, raising this issue through media channels is not helpful. The Samaritans provide useful guidance on reporting such issues on their Samaritans' Media Guidelines page.

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.