Department of Infrastructure
952 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 47.4%
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 (952)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-06-19 | Road Safety Assessment - Governor's Bridge / Glencrutchery Road | All information sent |
| A request was made for traffic assessments and road safety audits regarding the redesign of Governor's Bridge and Glencrutchery Road. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed that all requested information was held and provided in the response. | ||
| 2020-06-05 | Equality impact assessment | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for an equality impact assessment regarding parking removal on the Promenade and documentation on mobility accommodations. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed no specific assessment was conducted for this issue, provided redacted documentation on mobility discussions, and stated the main impact assessment is being updated for future publication. | ||
| 2020-06-04 | Number of Cars paying road tax | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the number of private cars paying road tax over the last five financial years, broken down by fuel type. The Department of Infrastructure refused the request under Section 11 of the Act, stating the data is not held in a format that allows for extraction without substantial manual compilation. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2020-03-09 | Costs of maintenance of the MER track and infrastructure | All information sent |
| The request sought details on Manx Electric Railway (MER) track and infrastructure spending, future allocations, and ticket revenue. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed historical expenditure and revenue figures but noted that 2023/24 budget allocations had not yet been determined. | ||
| 2020-03-09 | Livestock figures for Isle of Man | Information not held |
| The requester asked for annual figures on livestock born and imported to the Isle of Man, as well as data on causes of death for fallen livestock. The Department of Infrastructure responded that it does not hold this information as it is not involved in monitoring livestock or collecting cause-of-death data. | ||
| 2020-03-04 | Knockaloe Steam Train | All information sent |
| A request was made for details regarding the cost, business case, and safety assessments for moving the 'Caledonia' steam train to Knockaloe for the Manx Heritage Transport Festival. The Department of Infrastructure responded that there are no costs to the department, no business case or risk assessment exists, and no formal meeting minutes were taken. | ||
| 2020-03-04 | Promenade Minutes | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for minutes from a Promenade Strategic Project Board meeting held on 14 February 2020, but the Department of Infrastructure refused to send them directly because they are exempt under the FOI Act as they are held for future publication and will be made available on the MyProm website after the next meeting. | ||
| 2020-03-04 | The steam train known as 'Mannin' | All information sent |
| A request was made regarding the plans, costs, and Treasury approval for overhauling the steam train 'Mannin'. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that the train was moved to remove asbestos and assess its condition, stating that specific Treasury approval is not required and costs cannot be determined until the assessment is complete. | ||
| 2020-03-04 | Promenade Concrete Cracking | All information sent |
| The request sought minutes from a meeting convened to discuss concrete cracking on the Douglas Promenade, and the Department of Infrastructure disclosed the full minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2020. | ||
| 2020-03-03 | Road speed limits and changes since 2004 | All information sent |
| The request sought data on new speed limits introduced since 2004, road works policies, and accident statistics in speed-restricted areas. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that records for temporary limits only exist from 2015, provided links to permanent orders and UK traffic manuals, and supplied 2019 collision statistics. | ||
| 2020-03-02 | COST, USAGE AND REVENUE OF CONNECT VILLAGES AND CONNECT PORTS SERVICES | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester sought detailed cost, usage, and revenue data for Connect Villages and Connect Ports services, but the Department of Infrastructure stated it was not required to fulfill the request due to internal budgeting policies that prevent isolating specific service costs. The authority did disclose approximate minibus purchase costs and fleet replacement figures from a previous 2019 request, noting that minibuses are used for multiple services and costs are aggregated. | ||
| 2020-03-02 | Bus sales | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on buses sold by Bus Vannin since January 2018, including types and purchasers. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the number and type of buses sold to organizations but redacted the names of individual purchasers citing data protection exemptions. | ||
| 2020-02-27 | Traffic/Parking Birch Hill/Hillberry Road Areas | All information sent |
| A request was made for statistics on illegal parking notices and complaints in the Birch Hill and Briarfield Avenue areas over the past five years. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that only two fixed penalty notices were issued and no records of complaints were found for the specified period. | ||
| 2020-02-27 | Development of a Marina | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for details regarding the criteria, meetings, and appraisal reports for the Isle of Man Marina Development procurement process. The Department of Infrastructure partially responded, withholding information on proposal viability and meeting details due to commercial and public business exemptions. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2020-02-24 | HumajnWaste,and,Silt,disposal | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester submitted a statement regarding the disposal of human waste and silt for agricultural use, but the Department of Infrastructure determined it was not a valid request for information held. Consequently, the authority was not required to fulfill the request under the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2020-02-19 | Fallen Animals 2017 | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| A request for detailed 2017 statistics on fallen animals was partially answered with 2017/18 financial year data, while specific details on cause of death, origin, and missing animal estimates were withheld as not collected or outside the department's scope. | ||
| 2020-02-17 | Liquidated damages Prom | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for the daily liquidated damages amount for a construction contract, but the Department of Infrastructure refused to send the information directly because it was already reasonably accessible via a public Tynwald report. | ||
| 2020-02-12 | Waste delivered to EfW by Northern Parishes Refuse Collection Board | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure disclosed waste tonnage, charges, and cost per tonne for domestic and commercial waste delivered to the Energy from Waste facility by the Northern Parishes Refuse Collection Board for the financial years 2017-2019 and the partial year to December 2019. | ||
| 2020-02-12 | Promenade | All information sent |
| The requester inquired about potential liquidated damages for a delayed contractor and reasons for work stoppages, including weather claims. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed that while the contract allows for damages, none have been applied yet, and no weather-related compensation events have been triggered. | ||
| 2020-02-11 | Profit of Bus Vannin | All information sent |
| The requester asked for annual profit figures for Bus Vannin since 2009, but the Department of Infrastructure responded that the service does not generate profit and receives subventions for socially desirable services. | ||
| 2020-02-06 | Road maintenance | Information not held |
| A request was made for road maintenance expenditure data for TT course and non-TT course roads since 2011. The Department of Infrastructure responded that the information is not held because maintenance costs are not recorded separately for TT roads. | ||
| 2020-02-06 | Heritage rail passenger numbers | All information sent |
| The request sought details on heritage rail passenger counting methods and specific single-journey figures for the Manx Electric Railway (MER) from 2015 to 2019. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the transition from manual counts to a Ticketer system, provided aggregate MER passenger data, but stated they could not supply the requested specific single-journey breakdowns. | ||
| 2020-02-05 | Peel marina income verses cost | All information sent |
| 2020-02-04 | Promenade | All information sent |
| A request was made regarding the financial status, schedule, and quality control of the Promenade construction project. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that certified payments total over £6 million, the project is within budget but delayed until August 2021, and defects have been notified rather than work condemned. | ||
| 2020-02-03 | Ramsey Marina | All information sent |
| The requester asked for timescales regarding the next stages of the Ramsey Marina development process after being referred from the Attorney General's office. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that only the Ramsey proposal was viable, outlined the next steps involving an appraisal report and lease negotiations, but confirmed there are no concrete timescales. | ||
| 2020-01-30 | Steam Trains | All information sent |
| The requester asked for passenger statistics for the Isle of Man steam railway in 2018 and 2019, specifically broken down by dining car usage. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the total passenger counts and the requested breakdowns for both years. | ||
| 2020-01-28 | Tender for old buses | Information not held |
| The requester asked if the sale of old buses replaced by new Mercedes vehicles was put to tender and who the successful buyer was. The Department of Infrastructure responded that the information is not held because the buses have not yet been sold. | ||
| 2020-01-22 | Heritage Trail | All information sent |
| A request was made regarding the decision-making process, consultation, and cost of the surface material for the Heritage Trail. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that recycled road planings were chosen by the Design Team over type 1 gravel, no formal consultation occurred due to compliance with guidance, and the material cost is 85 pence per square meter. | ||
| 2020-01-20 | Grievence/fairness at work complaints | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for the number of grievance and fairness at work complaints against Highway services management over the last two years. The authority disclosed the specific counts for 2018 and 2019, confirming all requested information was sent. | ||
| 2020-01-20 | Request of purchase | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details regarding the purchase of the Strathallan Depot from Douglas Corporation, including cost, budget source, signatory, and completion date. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that the purchase price was £10.00, funded by the Transport Services Division, signed by the Chief Executive, and completed in April 2017. | ||
| 2020-01-15 | Peel Marina Project Board | All information sent |
| A request was made for minutes of the Peel Marina Project Board meetings, and the Department of Infrastructure disclosed all information including 161 pages of documents covering silt management strategies and environmental data. | ||
| 2020-01-10 | Student Air Traffic Controllers | All information sent |
| The request sought recruitment statistics for Student Air Traffic Controller positions, specifically regarding application numbers and test pass rates. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that 119 applications were received, with 9 candidates passing the FEAST 1 test and 4 passing the FEAST 2 test. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2019-12-30 | Railway Passenger Numbers | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for 2019 passenger journey numbers for four Isle of Man heritage railways, but the Department of Infrastructure stated the data was not yet held as it was still being collated. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2019-12-11 | Douglas Promenade Strategic Project Board Minutes | All information sent |
| The requester asked for minutes from the Douglas Promenade Strategic Project Board meeting held on 13 September 2019. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed that all requested information was sent via attachment and will also be published on the MyProm website. | ||
| 2019-12-05 | What percentage of rent is generated from council properties | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the monetary value of rent generated and reinvested into Department of Infrastructure social housing for 2018/19. The authority disclosed total rent collected, maintenance expenditure, and clarified that major capital investment is funded separately by the Treasury. | ||
| 2019-12-05 | What is the cost of casual staff | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the cost of casual driving for supervisors and management on Sundays for Bus Vannin. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that pay rates depend on whether staff are on old or new terms, providing specific hourly figures for both. | ||
| 2019-12-05 | Cost of contract for the airport | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for the running costs of aviation security services provided by Noonans and details on government subsidies. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed no subsidy was paid but withheld specific cost figures citing commercial prejudice. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2019-11-22 | Total vehicle licences issued 01/10/2018 - 30/09/2019 | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total number of vehicle licences issued in the Isle of Man between October 2018 and September 2019, broken down by category. The Department of Infrastructure provided the full data, confirming a total of 77,182 licences issued, which includes both new registrations and renewals. | ||
| 2019-11-12 | Provide Information of teh Number of Vehicles in use by Goverment | All information sent |
| The requester asked the Department of Infrastructure for a breakdown of government vehicles by department, including status and hired vehicles. The authority provided a detailed table of 1,102 vehicles across various departments and listed specific hired vehicles, while noting they could not account for vehicles managed by other authorities outside their fleet system. | ||
| 2019-11-11 | Permits given out for use of Greeways by vehicles exceeding 0.5 tonnes | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for details on permits issued for vehicles over 0.5 tonnes using Greenways over the last five years. The authority responded with some information but withheld parts of the data under exemptions. | ||
| 2019-11-11 | Zero hour contracts on bus service | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding the number of bus service employees on zero-hour contracts and their pay rates. The authority disclosed that 179 staff members are on such contracts across minibus and big bus sections, with specific hourly rates and holiday pay details provided. | ||
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