Department of Infrastructure
145 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 311.0%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Isle of Man Department of Infrastructure reveal an authority that is selectively transparent, often prioritizing commercial confidentiality and administrative convenience over public scrutiny. A recurring theme is the 'black box' nature of major transport procurement; while the Department readily discloses the existence of projects like the Douglas Promenade or the purchase of Mercedes buses, it consistently withholds specific financial figures, citing commercial sensitivity (Cases 355921, 361167). Furthermore, the Department frequently relies on the 'information not held' exemption to avoid answering questions about specific costs for major events like the TT (Case 355883) or historical road adoptions (Case 355761), suggesting significant gaps in data retention and financial granularity.
Key Cases
Case 355857 — This case marks a critical turning point where the Department invoked the 'vexatious' exemption to block a series of requests regarding the Douglas Promenade and steam locomotives. It highlights the tension between persistent public scrutiny and the administrative burden, effectively shutting down a line of inquiry that had previously yielded partial results.
Case 355921 — A significant disclosure regarding the procurement of Mercedes buses, where the Department explicitly cited commercial sensitivity to withhold pricing and contract details. This case exemplifies the 'black box' nature of major transport spending, where the public knows buses were bought but not the specific financial terms.
Case 449033 — This case is notable for being 'Upheld - partial' following an internal review. The Information Commissioner found the Department had incorrectly applied a 'not held' exemption to the ZipTrip app costs, forcing a re-processing. It serves as a rare instance of the Department's initial refusal being challenged and corrected, revealing hidden financial data.
Case 355883 — The refusal to provide specific costs for TT (Tourist Trophy) road repairs, claiming they are not recorded separately from normal activities. Given the TT is the island's most significant economic event, the inability to isolate its infrastructure costs raises questions about financial accountability for major events.
Case 358461 — The complete withholding of information regarding a 2013 electric shock incident on the Manx Electric Railway due to 'ongoing legal proceedings.' This case underscores how legal risk is used as a blanket exemption to prevent the public from understanding the safety history of heritage transport.
Related FOI Stories
The Douglas Promenade: From Transparency to Vexatious Refusal — #355795, #355857, #355859, #355861, #355863
Commercial Secrecy in Transport Procurement — #355763, #355921, #361167, #355893, #356129
Data Gaps and 'Not Held' Defenses — #355761, #355773, #355883, #355895, #361191
Safety Incidents and Legal Exemptions — #358443, #358461, #355863, #355921, #548540
Housing and Social Welfare Opacity — #355805, #358449, #358451, #355925, #647165
All (145)
All information sent (451) ·
Some information sent but not all held (145) ·
Information not held (123) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (120) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (53) ·
Not required to fulfill request (22) ·
Not upheld (12) ·
Upheld - partial (10) ·
Vexatious request (6) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (5) ·
Withdrawn (3) ·
Upheld - full (1) ·
Neither confirm or deny information held (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-21 | First time buyer buy back scheme | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for data on first-time buyer buy-back properties removed from sale listings and leased to third parties in the last three years. The Department of Infrastructure could not provide the specific listing history but disclosed the number of buy-back properties sub-let to third parties annually since 2011. | ||
| 2020-08-11 | Peel Marina | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2020-08-04 | Ballabeg traffic data | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for completion dates and one-year post-scheme effectiveness assessment results for Ballabeg road improvements, citing a 2019 public meeting. The Department of Infrastructure responded that not all information was held but provided a 2016 route study report by JMP Consultants Ltd as partial disclosure. | ||
| 2020-07-16 | Forecast Operating Losses | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for forecast financial losses, decision-making data regarding the Snaefell Mountain Railway closure, budget changes, and revenue figures for Isle of Man railways. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that losses could not yet be calculated due to unknown passenger numbers, confirmed the Minister's decision to close the Snaefell line due to staffing costs, noted a budget reduction of £72,736, and stated no specific revenue predictions were made in the business case. | ||
| 2020-06-26 | Reported Cat 1Surface defects | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought data on Category 1 road surface defects, related insurance claims, and Jetpatcher usage by the Department of Infrastructure. The authority provided defect statistics but refused to disclose insurance claim details due to data structure and central fund management, and stated Jetpatcher usage records were not held. | ||
| 2020-05-14 | Promenade redeveloment | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought strategic board minutes and correspondence regarding the Promenade redevelopment project with Sleepwell Hotels and the Treasury. The Department of Infrastructure provided some minutes and redacted correspondence with Sleepwell, but confirmed it held no correspondence with the Treasury. | ||
| 2020-05-11 | IM119872I Fire Exinguisher Servicing | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for updated total expenditure on fire equipment for the years 2017 to 2020 and 2020 to date. The Department of Infrastructure responded that some information was sent, but not all requested data was held. | ||
| 2020-02-27 | Connect Villages | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for the total cost, passenger numbers, and fare revenue of the Connect Villages Scheme. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed passenger and revenue statistics but could not provide total costs as they are not recorded separately from general Mini Bus Operations. | ||
| 2020-01-07 | Annual costs for casual Sunday driving by Supervisors/Managers | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the annual budgetary cost of Sunday driving pay for supervisors and managers at the Department of Infrastructure. The authority disclosed the total weekend pay for casual drivers for a partial year but stated it could not separate Sunday costs from Saturday costs due to payroll coding limitations. | ||
| 2019-12-12 | Cost of keeping sea terminal building open for public use | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the hourly cost of keeping the Sea Terminal building open versus closed to the public, but the Department of Infrastructure could not provide this specific breakdown due to data format limitations. Instead, the authority disclosed estimated annual costs for security, energy, maintenance, and cleaning, while noting that water and building rates are held by the Treasury. | ||
| 2019-12-12 | Bus Vannin minibus costs | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for specific annual operating costs and revenue for Bus Vannin's minibus services regarding patient transport, Connect Ports, and myProm shuttles. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that detailed minibus-specific figures are not held separately from the wider fleet, providing instead aggregate expenditure for the bus sub-division and specific costs for the myProm service. | ||
| 2019-12-12 | Bus Vannin dial a ride services | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request for specific annual operating costs and revenue for Bus Vannin's dial-a-ride services was partially fulfilled because the authority cannot separate minibus figures from the wider fleet. Instead, the Department of Infrastructure provided year-to-date expenditure for the entire bus sub-division and income specifically for the Connect Villages service. | ||
| 2019-11-28 | Permits to drive on Greenways | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for details of Greenway driving permits issued between 2008 and 2013, but the Department of Infrastructure only held records from April 2011 and disclosed data from that date until September 2013. Personal information regarding applicants and officers was withheld under data protection exemptions. | ||
| 2019-11-28 | Demand Responsive Travel pilot results | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought detailed cost-benefit data for the ConnectVillages dial-a-ride pilot and specific minibuses purchase costs for patient transport services. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed fleet replacement costs for 2017-2019 but withheld specific operational costs and income data due to internal budgeting policies and the shared nature of the vehicle fleet. | ||
| 2019-09-24 | Speed restrictions | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for orders restricting speed limits to 20 mph and 10 mph on the road from Fisher's Hill to the Shore Hotel in Gansey. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed two emergency traffic signs notices imposing a 10 mph limit due to safety concerns with ongoing works, but confirmed that no information regarding a 20 mph restriction was held. | ||
| 2019-09-13 | information for research | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the number and cost of buildings purchased and demolished by the Department of Infrastructure since October 2011. The authority disclosed purchase figures and a list of demolished buildings but withheld demolition costs due to the substantial work required to compile them. | ||
| 2019-07-31 | RAF use of Ronaldsway | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for a written agreement between the Isle of Man Government and the RAF regarding Ronaldsway Airport training, as well as annual payment figures since 2011. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed no specific written agreement exists and refused to provide financial data due to the excessive burden of staff time required to compile it. | ||
| 2019-07-05 | Council House Income | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to determine how many Isle of Man Council House tenants earn over £50,000 annually, but the Department of Infrastructure refused to provide this data as it does not hold current income information for all tenants. | ||
| 2019-04-26 | Arrears of Rent | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for data on public sector housing rent arrears, write-offs, and evictions for the period ending March 2019. The authority disclosed specific figures for arrears and evictions but confirmed that no rent was written off during the specified timeframe. | ||
| 2019-03-11 | Trains | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the condition of government-owned steam and diesel trains and expenditure data since January 2016. The Department of Infrastructure provided a status list for 24 engines but refused the expenditure request because the data is not held in a separated format and would require substantial compilation. | ||
| 2019-02-13 | Bus vannin mini buses | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2019-02-12 | Parking Tickets - upheld queries | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for copies of upheld parking disc queries from 2014 to 2018, but the Department of Infrastructure could only provide data from January 2018 onwards due to a 12-month retention policy. The authority disclosed statistics on cancelled penalties and attached redacted correspondence for the available period. | ||
| 2019-01-04 | Information Relating to the Queens Pier Ramsey | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for historical drawings of Queens Pier Ramsey and recent structural inspection reports; the Department of Infrastructure provided a list of 35 historical drawings but confirmed they do not hold the requested inspection reports from 2011 onwards. | ||
| 2019-01-03 | Charging for Government Car Parking Spaces | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for detailed statistics and enforcement data regarding the charging policy for government car parking spaces in Central Douglas. The Department of Infrastructure responded by providing a list of specific car parks managed under the scheme but withheld the requested numerical data on exemptions, revenue, and enforcement checks. | ||
| 2018-10-15 | DoI procurement policy | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for documentation regarding a mandatory MACCS accreditation agreement for Department of Infrastructure contractors. The authority responded by providing the 'Procedure Notes for Management of Construction Projects' (April 2012) but stated that not all requested information was held. | ||
| 2018-08-13 | Mountain Road | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for Mountain Road closure data over the past 24 months, to which the Department of Infrastructure responded with a partial list of closures they recorded, noting that emergency closures by the Police were not held. | ||
| 2018-05-29 | Airport | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for passenger figures, scheduled flight counts, and airline operators for the Isle of Man airport over the past five years. The Department of Infrastructure provided passenger statistics and a list of airlines but clarified that specific data on scheduled flights is not held, only actual runway activity. | ||
| 2018-05-29 | Caravan permits associated with the TT funfair | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked about caravan permits for the TT funfair since 2015 and the status of the Summerland plot. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed that no specific permits were issued for funfair caravans despite them meeting criteria, and clarified that Summerland is not a designated campsite but is used under conditional permission. | ||
| 2018-05-10 | Professional fees Prom | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for details on consultants and fees for the new prom scheme, to which the Department of Infrastructure disclosed names, roles, and fee amounts for five consultants, but noted the lead contractor is unknown as the project is out to tender. | ||
| 2018-04-12 | Vehicle numbers 2017 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for a breakdown of all vehicles registered on the Isle of Man during 2017 by specific categories, excluding retention registrations. The Department of Infrastructure stated it did not hold the total registered vehicle data in the requested format but provided monthly statistics for new vehicle registrations and imported vehicles for the 2017-2018 period. | ||
| 2017-12-25 | Leachate tank & sweeper costs | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding leachate tank and sweeper costs, resulting in a partial disclosure where some information was sent but not all was held. | ||
| 2017-12-06 | Purpose of trip to Switzerland or Austria & costs | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the purpose of a recent trip to Switzerland or Austria to assess tram safety systems for the Snaefell Mountain Railway but withheld cost details as they were not yet held in the accounting system. | ||
| 2017-10-30 | Strang Road consultation process | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked about dispute resolution and conflict of interest policies regarding a public vote on Strang Road, but the Department of Infrastructure clarified that the exercise was an informal opinion gathering rather than a formal consultation or referendum. Consequently, no specific policies or escalation procedures apply to the process, though the Department noted that the largest number of preferences informed the final design. | ||
| 2017-10-09 | Government House eval, costs, footage and plans | Some information sent but not all held |
| A Freedom of Information request to the Department of Infrastructure sought details on Government House evaluations, costs, footage, and plans. The authority disclosed specific maintenance, oil, and renovation costs along with floor area data, but withheld architectural plans citing national security exemptions. | ||
| 2017-10-08 | Waste incinerator & Castle Mona Hotel | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding funding sources, costs, and outstanding payments for waste incineration and landfill operations. The authority disclosed the 2016/17 operating and capital costs for the Animal Waste Processing Plant but stated it did not hold information to answer questions about funding sources, dry waste tonnage, or outstanding payments. | ||
| 2017-06-25 | Traffic Management Schools | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding traffic management for schools, resulting in the disclosure of partial information containing specific vehicle schedules for the NSC Pool between 2013 and 2016. | ||
| 2017-06-16 | Fire extinguisher - DHSS properties | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request for information regarding fire extinguishers on DHSS properties was partially refused because the Department of Infrastructure does not hold specific data for individual departments and lacks the ability to confirm inspections across the entire government portfolio. | ||
| 2017-06-14 | Airport and Weather | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a request for airport and weather data by providing an extract of the Air Traffic Movement Log for March 10, 2017, and 5-day weather forecasts from the Met Office for that period and surrounding dates. The authority confirmed that some information was sent but not all held. | ||
| 2017-05-10 | Bus CCTV | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Department of Infrastructure provided details on bus CCTV camera locations, recording policies, and data retention periods, but refused to disclose specific standalone budget figures for CCTV as they are integrated into total bus costs. | ||
| 2017-04-11 | Janets Corner phase 4&5 | Some information sent but not all held |
| A Freedom of Information request regarding the Janets Corner phase 4&5 housing project was partially fulfilled by the Department of Infrastructure, disclosing specific costs and adjudication outcomes while refusing to provide staff costs due to lack of records. | ||
| 2017-03-31 | Strang Road planters | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for the cost and maintenance details of planters on Strang Road. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the installation cost and maintenance responsibility but could not provide future maintenance costs as the information was not held. | ||
| 2017-03-10 | Airport Traffic Light Replacement | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2017-02-16 | Strang Road traffic calming | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for details regarding the Strang Road traffic calming scheme, including resident consultations, risk assessments, and accident statistics. The Department of Infrastructure provided most information via appendices but refused to supply accident statistics, citing that they do not hold the data. | ||
| 2017-01-06 | Transport revenue, costs, complaints and servicing | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a request for transport revenue, costs, complaints, and servicing schedules by providing complaint statistics and maintenance guidelines, while refusing to compile financial data or disclose personal information. | ||
| 2017-01-03 | Friary Park, Claims & Potholes | Some information sent but not all held |
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