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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-10-03 | Bus Vannin accidents | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for specific dates of Bus Vannin passenger accidents since September 2012 was partially fulfilled, with exact dates withheld due to data protection exemptions while yearly incident statistics were provided. | ||
| 2017-09-29 | MER electric shock incident | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for details and investigation reports regarding a 2013 electric shock incident involving a Manx Electric Railway conductor, but the Department of Infrastructure withheld all information citing ongoing legal proceedings. | ||
| 2017-09-07 | Cost of helicopters used in TT/MGP | Information not held |
| A request for costs related to TT/MGP rescue helicopters and medical services was partially answered by the Department of Health and Social Care, which stated it did not hold helicopter cost data but provided figures for extra staff, bed costs, and patient transfers. | ||
| 2017-09-05 | public transport ticket system | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on costs for the public transport ticket system, and while the authority confirmed a £400,000 capital sum was spent on the Ticketer system in 2013-14, further specific costings were withheld. | ||
| 2017-08-31 | Bus drivers overtime and cost | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for total overtime hours and costs for bus drivers over the past five years. The authority fully disclosed the requested data, providing a breakdown of hours worked and amounts paid for each pay period from September 2012 to September 2017. | ||
| 2017-08-16 | Rates outstanding | Information not held |
| 2017-08-14 | TT Costs | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for specific costs related to 2017 TT road repairs, signage, bollards, and staffing. The authority refused to provide the information, stating that repair costs were not recorded separately from normal activities and that compiling the data would require substantial analysis. | ||
| 2017-08-12 | Waste incinerator | All information sent |
| A request was made for the cost, tonnage, and income details of the secondary incinerator for medical and animal waste for the 2016/17 period. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the total tonnage of waste received by category and the total income generated for that financial year. | ||
| 2017-08-11 | Electric trams accident investigation | All information sent |
| 2017-08-07 | Electric tram incidents | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request was made for safety incident details and investigation findings for Isle of Man heritage railways from 2011, along with the identity of a specific Snaefell car involved in a brake failure. The Department of Infrastructure responded that it was not required to fulfill the request in full because it did not manage the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway until April 2016 and lacked data for July and August 2017. | ||
| 2017-08-04 | Electric tram maintenance | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request for electric tram maintenance schedules and specific parts costs was partially refused by the Department of Infrastructure due to ongoing investigations and the practical difficulty of compiling data. While detailed maintenance records were withheld, a summary table of supplier costs for the Snaefell Mountain Railway from April to July 2017 was provided. | ||
| 2017-07-24 | Marina Road tender | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding the Marina Road tender, but the authority responded that the information is not held. | ||
| 2017-07-11 | Douglas Prom Contractors | Vexatious request |
| The Department of Infrastructure refused a series of Freedom of Information requests regarding the Douglas Promenade construction, steam locomotive costs, and transport director interests, classifying them as vexatious due to their frequency and burden on resources. | ||
| 2017-07-11 | Legislation for cyclists | Vexatious request |
| The Department of Infrastructure refused a series of Freedom of Information requests regarding cyclists' legislation, steam locomotives, and the Douglas Promenade, classifying them as vexatious due to their frequency and burden on resources. No information was disclosed as the requests were rejected under Section 11(3)(d) of the FOIA 2015. | ||
| 2017-07-10 | Douglas Prom Construction | Vexatious request |
| The Department of Infrastructure refused a series of Freedom of Information requests regarding the Douglas Promenade construction and steam locomotive operations, classifying them as vexatious due to their frequency and burden on resources. | ||
| 2017-07-05 | Refusal of Multiple FOI requests | Vexatious request |
| The Department of Infrastructure refused multiple Freedom of Information requests regarding locomotive costs, train breakdowns, and the Douglas Promenade construction, classifying them as vexatious due to their frequency and burden on resources. | ||
| 2017-07-03 | Scooil Vallajeet - Transport consultation etc | Information not held |
| A request for information regarding transport consultation for Scooil Vallajeet was submitted to the Department of Infrastructure. The authority responded that the specific information requested is not held and cannot be found after reasonable steps. | ||
| 2017-06-27 | Peel dredging contract | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A Freedom of Information request regarding the Peel dredging contract was submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, resulting in a partial disclosure where some information was sent but other parts were exempt. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-06-11 | PROW | All information sent |
| 2017-06-07 | Silverdale - Tenders & Lease | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The Department of Infrastructure released a redacted copy of the head lease for the Silverdale Glen building complex involving Baker Tilley and Manx Ices, but withheld personal data regarding individuals. | ||
| 2017-06-06 | Silverdale | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made regarding the lease award process and terms for the Silverdale Complex, to which the Department of Infrastructure responded that no competitive tender was used and provided lease details in an appendix while redacting personal data. | ||
| 2017-05-30 | First time buyers schemes | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding first-time buyer schemes, and the authority confirmed that all requested information was sent. | ||
| 2017-05-29 | Lord and Parade Street Marketing | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding Lord and Parade Street marketing by disclosing all requested information. The response included 9 pages across 1 document and provided details on the applicant's right to review. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-04-29 | Fixed penalty notices | Not required to fulfill request |
| The Department of Infrastructure provided statistics on fixed penalty notices issued and appeals allowed for three financial years but refused to disclose the total number of appeals made or details on unpaid tickets. | ||
| 2017-04-26 | Road Policy and Inspection A1 St Johns to Peel Ballaleece Bridge | All information sent |
| A request was made regarding the classification, inspection frequency, and repair history of a defect on the A1 St Johns to Peel road. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed the road is strategic, corrected a database error regarding inspection frequency, and detailed the temporary and planned permanent repairs for a pothole. | ||
| 2017-04-21 | Rent Arrears | All information sent |
| 2017-04-12 | Strang Planters Part 3 | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding 'Strang Planters Part 3' by confirming that all requested information was sent. The response also outlined the applicant's rights to seek a review from the Information Commissioner if dissatisfied. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-04-07 | Shore road & Spit Corner | All information sent |
| A request for information regarding Shore road and Spit Corner was refused because the applicant failed to provide necessary clarification within the required 28-day timescale. The Department of Infrastructure cited Section 11(2)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 as the legal basis for not processing the request. | ||
| 2017-04-05 | Motorhomes, Cat C and abandoned vehicles | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding vehicle duty revenue, registration numbers for motorhomes and heavy goods vehicles, and abandoned vehicle removals for the 2016/2017 period. The authority disclosed all requested data, including specific financial figures and vehicle counts, though detailed breakdowns for abandoned vehicle types were limited. | ||
| 2017-04-05 | Accident stats | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a request for accident statistics by providing a priority assessment table of highway schemes from 2011 to 2013. The document details 11 specific road improvement projects, including their costs, accident rates, and safety scores. | ||
| 2017-03-31 | Douglas Prom | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for the design team details, fees, and cross-sections of the Douglas Promenade scheme, with the tender documentation request withdrawn by the applicant. The Department of Infrastructure provided the requested design team and cross-section information in appendices, though some personal data was withheld under statutory exemptions. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-03-29 | Public rights of way | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request for information regarding public rights of way was made to the Department of Infrastructure, resulting in no documents being sent as all held information was deemed exempt. The response instead directed the requester to public registers and websites where definitive maps, orders, and planning applications can be viewed. | ||
| 2017-03-29 | Waste | All information sent |
| 2017-03-28 | Accident stats - Ballawoods junction | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request for accident statistics at the Ballawoods junction was submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, but no information was disclosed as all held data was deemed exempt. | ||
| 2017-03-27 | Parking Ticket Thomas Keig Est | Not required to fulfill request |
| The Department of Infrastructure refused a request for information regarding parking tickets issued to Thomas Keig Est, citing that the data constitutes personal information and that compiling the requested details would require extensive analysis not mandated by the Act. | ||
| 2017-03-18 | Landing stage Mersey | Information not held |
| A request was made for plans regarding a proposed new landing stage in the Mersey, but the Department of Infrastructure responded that no such plans or drawings exist as the project is in its early stages. | ||
| 2017-03-10 | Airport Traffic Light Replacement | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2017-03-02 | Bus costs and Driver numbers | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure responded to a request for bus costs and driver numbers by providing specific staffing data for February 1, 2017, and directing the requester to online government accounts for capital expenditure details. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-02-13 | Foxdale Road project info | All information sent |
| A request for the Foxdale Road project plan, costs, staffing numbers, and completion times was made to the Department of Infrastructure, and all requested information was disclosed. | ||
| 2017-02-07 | Laxey Bridge bus accident | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A Freedom of Information request regarding the Laxey Bridge bus accident was partially fulfilled by the Department of Infrastructure, disclosing vehicle details, route information, and costs while withholding the purchase price due to commercial confidentiality. | ||
| 2017-01-23 | Highways Adoption Oakhill Close | Information not held |
| The applicant requested proof of when the Department of Infrastructure adopted a section of land outside number 47 Oakhill Close as a public highway. The Department responded that it does not hold the requested information because the responsibility for roads constructed before the mid-1980s was transferred from Douglas Borough Council without specific adoption documentation. | ||
| 2017-01-19 | Speed limits and A7, Colby | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made regarding the decision-making process for speed limits and specific changes to the A7 road in Colby between 2011 and 2017. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed policy documents, traffic count samples, and briefs for the road changes, but redacted personal signatures citing data protection exemptions. | ||
| 2017-01-16 | Ballaterson road link drawings and Peel relief road options | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for drawings of the Ballaterson road link and options for the Peel relief road. The authority responded by sending all requested information, comprising 20 pages across one document. | ||
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