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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | ||
| 2018-04-09 | Income from public transport ticket sales | All information sent |
| 2018-04-06 | Horse Trams | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for 2017 Horse Trams passenger numbers, revenue, and running costs was partially fulfilled, with passenger data directed to a public website while financial figures were disclosed. | ||
| 2018-04-04 | Laser Scan | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for 2015 lidar/laser scan survey data of the TT and Southern 100 race courses collected by Landscope Engineering Ltd. The Department of Infrastructure refused to send the information directly, citing that it is already reasonably accessible for purchase from the Highway Services Division. | ||
| 2018-04-03 | Consultants. | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total amount paid to consultants over the last 12 months, including unpaid invoices. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the total revenue expenditure on external consultancy for the 2017-2018 financial year but stated it could not provide a specific list of consultant payments or quantify unpaid invoices due to system limitations. | ||
| 2018-03-28 | Unpublished FOI requests | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a 12-month breakdown of Freedom of Information requests received, refused, answered, and published by the Department of Infrastructure. The authority responded by providing a monthly statistical table covering the period from March 2017 to March 2018, detailing the counts for each category. | ||
| 2018-03-26 | Vehicles owned and maintained by DOI | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought the total number of vehicles owned and maintained by the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) and other government departments. The DOI disclosed that 1,188 road vehicles are managed across nine departments but exempted steam railway and Manx Electric Railway figures as they are already publicly accessible. | ||
| 2018-03-19 | potholes and surface defects reported 2017 and 2018 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for statistics and locations of potholes and road surface defects reported in 2017 and 2018, along with their repair status. The Department of Infrastructure provided total counts and outstanding figures but redacted specific location data where it could identify third parties under data protection exemptions. | ||
| 2018-03-12 | Heritage Trail | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for the estimated cost of proposed works to the Heritage Trail, to which the Department of Infrastructure disclosed the cost for one specific section while citing that other budget details were already publicly accessible. | ||
| 2018-03-08 | IM123949I Inspection fire doors | Information not held |
| A request was made for the qualifications of personnel inspecting fire doors in Isle of Man Government buildings. The Department of Infrastructure responded that the information is not held because there are no specific qualification requirements for carrying out these inspections. | ||
| 2018-03-07 | Yearly Heating costs of Cronk -Y-Berry Primary School each year from 2010 to present date | Information not held |
| A request was made for the yearly heating costs of Cronk-y-Berry Primary School from 2010 to 2018, but the Department of Infrastructure responded that they do not hold this information. | ||
| 2018-03-06 | Refusal of Multiple FOI requests | Vexatious request |
| The Department of Infrastructure refused multiple Freedom of Information requests regarding airport scanners, port construction, and sea wall heights, classifying them as vexatious due to their frequency and burden on resources. | ||
| 2018-03-05 | Driving, motorcycle, HGV test pass rates | All information sent |
| 2018-03-05 | cost of repairing damage caused to Ramsey and Douglas Promenades by Storm Emma | Information not held |
| A request was made for the estimated cost of repairing damage to Ramsey and Douglas Promenades caused by Storm Emma. The Department of Infrastructure responded that the information is not held because the damage assessment was still ongoing at the time. | ||
| 2018-03-05 | IM123388I Ramsey and Douglas Prom Repair estimates | Information not held |
| A request was made for cost estimates regarding storm damage repairs to the Ramsey and Douglas Promenades. The Department of Infrastructure responded that the requested information is not held. | ||
| 2018-02-28 | The Manufactuers name for the extra eqt for the return ttrays and reeders/tender process | Vexatious request |
| The requester asked for manufacturer details, pricing, and tender information regarding extra equipment for return trolleys and reeders at the Department of Infrastructure. The authority refused to disclose any information, classifying the request as vexatious due to the high volume and burden of requests submitted by the individual. | ||
| 2018-02-27 | Map of Government land in Braddan | Information not held |
| The requester asked for a map of the Nobles Hospital site in Braddan showing government, private, and public land ownership. The Department of Infrastructure responded that they do not hold such a map and suggested contacting the General Registry for land ownership details. | ||
| 2018-02-24 | cost of buying and leasing buses since 2016 | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for the cost of buying and leasing buses since 2016 with a breakdown of vehicle types. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed no buses are currently leased but withheld purchase costs under Section 30 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 due to commercial sensitivity. | ||
| 2018-02-21 | driving instructors pass rates | All information sent |
| The requester asked if driving instructors have daily limits on the number of students they can pass, but the Department of Infrastructure clarified that the question pertains to examiners, not instructors. The authority confirmed that there are no maximum or minimum limits on the number of people allowed to pass on a daily basis. | ||
| 2018-02-16 | A breakdown of the cost of 300k for security improvements at the Airport | All information sent |
| A request was made for a cost breakdown of £300,000 spent on airport security improvements, and the Department of Infrastructure fully disclosed the specific expenditures for equipment and building works. | ||
| 2018-02-07 | Employee use of vehicles | Information not held |
| A request was made regarding the number of government vehicles taken home by employees and the rules surrounding their use, fuel costs, and start times. Although the Department of Infrastructure initially stated the information was not held, they provided a detailed breakdown of policies and vehicle counts for each division under a 'Business as Usual' response. | ||
| 2018-02-07 | IM120124I - Diesel Locomotive | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on costs and works for IoM Railways' diesel locomotive 21 since 2013, including warranty coverage and future plans. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed specific repair costs and warranty details but withheld the value of the bogie repair contract under commercial interest exemptions. | ||
| 2018-02-06 | Fire Extinguishers and Blankets | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for specific spending on fire extinguishers and blankets for financial years 2015-2017 and the current year, but the Department of Infrastructure could not provide itemized figures as they are not held separately. Instead, the authority disclosed total expenditure for all fire equipment, which includes unrelated items like safety signage, citing a practical refusal reason under the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2018-01-20 | Car Removals | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for statistics on vehicle removals in Douglas in 2017 and details on the removal procedure, including notice periods. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the number of vehicles removed but refused to provide procedural details, citing that the information had been supplied to the requester just four weeks prior. | ||
| 2018-01-18 | Estates Section - Training and salary costs | Information not held |
| The request sought training costs, meeting frequencies, and management salary details for the Estates Section over three years. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed training figures for 2016 and 2017 and salary bands, but withheld earlier training data and specific individual salaries due to lack of records and data protection concerns. | ||
| 2018-01-09 | Social housing maintenance costs | All information sent |
| A request was made for the annual average maintenance costs per social housing unit in the Isle of Man since 2012, distinguishing between planned and reactive repairs. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the specific expenditure figures for both categories for each financial year from 2012-13 to 2016-17. | ||
| 2018-01-05 | ex Lisbon Tramcar | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for the total acquisition costs of the ex Lisbon Tramcar 360 from 1996, including purchase price and travel expenses. The Department of Infrastructure refused to provide the information under the Freedom of Information Act because the data predates the Act's commencement date. | ||
| 2017-12-31 | Cherished numbers | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request for data on cherished number registrations was refused by the Department of Infrastructure because the information held by the IOM Post Office requires substantial collation and analysis to answer. The authority directed the requester to submit the same query directly to the IOM Post Office. | ||
| 2017-12-28 | Ramsey Harbour vessels & public liability insurance | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding Ramsey Harbour vessels and public liability insurance. The authority responded that the requested information is not held. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-12-15 | Road tax paid per year | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for information regarding road tax paid per year. The authority confirmed that all requested information was sent to the applicant. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-12-04 | Changes to planes and boats | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked for charges levied by the Isle of Man government on commercial planes and boats for the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 financial years. The Department of Infrastructure refused to fulfill the request because the applicant failed to respond to clarification emails within the required 28-day timescale. | ||
| 2017-11-30 | Chief Executive salary | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for the name and exact salary of the Department of Infrastructure's Chief Executive for the last financial year. The authority disclosed the name and the salary band but withheld the specific salary figure citing an absolute exemption for personal data. | ||
| 2017-11-27 | Assessment with regards to car park site development bids | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request for information regarding car park site development bids was made to the Department of Infrastructure, but no information was disclosed as it was deemed exempt under commercial interest provisions. | ||
| 2017-11-17 | Road repairs | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding road repair staffing and spending for the 2016/2017 financial year. The authority disclosed that 7 staff members work in rapid response teams and provided a total expenditure of £830,415.56 for maintenance and overlays. | ||
| 2017-11-10 | Fixed penalties quashed/withdrawn/cancelled | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a request for the number of fixed penalties quashed, withdrawn, or cancelled following a review process for 2016 and 2017. The authority disclosed the statistics recorded in financial years, covering the period from 2015/2016 through to 2017 to date. | ||
| 2017-11-08 | Steam Railway guards | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for information regarding Steam Railway guards was partially fulfilled by the Department of Infrastructure, disclosing hourly pay rates but withholding specific employment and training data for new guards hired in 2016 and 2017. | ||
| 2017-11-06 | REVIEW - Broomfield Cottage | Some information sent but part exempt |
| An applicant requested planning and building work records for Broomfield Cottage stream banks, leading to an internal review that overturned the original refusal and resulted in the release of some information with personal data redacted. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-10-29 | Strang New Consultation questions | Information not held |
| A request for detailed costs regarding traffic calming surveys, maintenance, and consultations for Strang Road was largely refused because the Department of Infrastructure does not record these specific figures separately. The authority disclosed only the number of incidents involving damaged planters and directed the requester to a website for general cost information. | ||
| 2017-10-18 | Flight cancellations | Information not held |
| 2017-10-18 | Broogh Wyllin first time buyers | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for detailed financial assistance records for first-time buyers at the Broogh Wyllin development, but individual property data was withheld due to personal data exemptions. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed aggregate figures for loans and grants provided between 2005 and 2009, along with current outstanding balances. | ||
| 2017-10-14 | Mercedes buses | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for contracts, shipping manifests, and pricing details regarding Mercedes buses supplied to the Isle of Man Department of Infrastructure. The authority partially refused the request, citing commercial sensitivity and exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act 2015 to protect the financial interests of both the supplier and the public transport service. | ||
| 2017-10-14 | Douglas Harbour dredging | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A Freedom of Information request regarding Douglas Harbour dredging was submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, resulting in a partial disclosure where some information was sent but other parts were exempt. | ||
| 2017-10-13 | Samaritans Purse charity | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on the Department of Infrastructure's support for the Samaritans Purse 'Operation Christmas Child' train event, including costs, staffing, and future plans. The authority disclosed that the train will not run in the future due to lack of request and concerns over the charity's leadership, while providing specific cost estimates and policy details. | ||
| 2017-10-10 | Regeneration Costs | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a request regarding regeneration costs by confirming that all information was sent and clarifying that the Village and Town Regeneration Fund supported various applicants beyond just the department's own projects. | ||
| 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 | Gov Buildings rented & total paid in rent | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a request regarding government building rentals, disclosing that it rents 12 buildings for various departments at a total annual cost of over £1 million. The response noted that other departments may rent buildings not administered by the DoI and mentioned an ongoing strategy to reduce rented accommodation. | ||
| 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. | ||
« Previous Page 18 of 20 Next »