Transport Scotland - A90 footbridges maintenance costs and evaluation: EIR release

Information requested

I am requesting the following information as a FOISA request as per the legislation:

1: With regards to the maintenance works being carried out on the footbridges at Strathmartine road and Old Glamis road on the Kingsway in Dundee. Can you provide the full costs of these works as of today for each location?

2: For the same location noted in Q1, where there have been two temporary pedestrian crossings installed. Can you provide the full costs of these being put in place and what costs are planned for removal?

3: Has any consideration / evaluation been carried out on retaining the temporary pedestrian crossings on reinstatement of the footbridges, and if so can this be provided?

4: Prior to any of these works being carried out in the above area, was there any evaluation carried out on an other options eg: full traffic control system on each roundabout?

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.

Q1: With regards to the maintenance works being carried out on the footbridges at Strathmartine road and Old Glamis road on the Kingsway in Dundee. Can you provide the full costs of these works as of today for each location?
A1. Our Operating Company, Amey, has advised the refurbishment costs (to April 2026) for the Strathmartine Road footbridge is £2,380,121.95 and for the Old Glamis Road footbridge is £2,350,899.20.

Q2: For the same location noted in Q1, where there have been two temporary pedestrian crossings installed. Can you provide the full costs of these being put in place and what costs are planned for removal?
A2. The current cost for temporary pedestrian crossings cost is £184,239.99. This figure covers all investigation, design and construction costs. Please note that costs for 2026/2027 are forecast only at this stage.

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 removal costs have not yet been obtained.

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 removal costs for two temporary pedestrian crossings, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

Q3: Has any consideration / evaluation been carried out on retaining the temporary pedestrian crossings on reinstatement of the footbridges, and if so can this be provided?
A3. No, the crossings have been put in place as a temporary measure only, to facilitate the removal and refurbishment of the permanent structure.

Q4: Prior to any of these works being carried out in the above area, was there any evaluation carried out on an other options eg: full traffic control system on each roundabout?
A4. Consideration was not given to the full traffic control of either Strathmartine or Old Glamis roundabouts as part of the bridge refurbishment works.

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.