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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-29 | Communication with Ramsey Town Commissioners re North Shore Road | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for all correspondence between the Department of Infrastructure and Ramsey Town Commissioners regarding gulleys and drains on North Shore Road since 2022. The authority disclosed that no specific correspondence was held but provided attached defect reports submitted by Ramsey Town Commissioners staff within the requested timeframe. | ||
| 2025-01-28 | Overtime rates | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding overtime pay rates for Port Security Supervisors covering officer shifts, but the information was not disclosed because the relevant team and data transferred to the Department of Home Affairs. | ||
| 2025-01-28 | Port Security Officer overtime | Information not held |
| A request was made regarding overtime procedures for Port Security Officers and Supervisors, but the Department of Infrastructure responded that the information is not held due to the team's transfer to the Department of Home Affairs. | ||
| 2025-01-27 | WEEE goods and minutes of meetings with the amenity sites since 2006 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought meeting minutes and emails regarding WEEE goods and amenity site charging structures since 2011, resulting in the disclosure of 130 pages of documents including specific pricing trials and contract details, though some information was withheld. | ||
| 2025-01-27 | Laxey Public Shelter | Information not held |
| A request was made for details on complaints, maintenance costs, and future improvement plans for the Laxey Beach Public Shelter between 2020 and 2025. The Department of Infrastructure responded that they do not hold any of the requested information as the shelter is under the care of the Garff Commissioners. | ||
| 2025-01-27 | Nightshifts | Information not held |
| A request was made for the number of night shifts carried out by Port Security Supervisors over the last 6 to 10 years, but the Department of Infrastructure responded that the information is not held. | ||
| 2025-01-22 | Boat Park Fees | Not upheld |
| A request was made for detailed payment records and recovery actions regarding harbour dues and boat park fees for specific vessels and all remaining vessels in Peel and House of Manannan. The Department of Infrastructure refused to disclose the information, classifying the request as vexatious under the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2025-01-21 | Castletown chaos | Upheld - partial |
| The request sought documentation regarding the Castletown Commissioners' application to permanently close Castletown Square, and the response disclosed internal emails and briefing notes detailing the consultation process, public objections, and the Minister's review of the Department's role. | ||
| 2025-01-20 | Correspondence to Ramsey Town Commissioners in relation to Town Clerk | Withdrawn |
| A request for correspondence regarding the 2024 appointment of the Ramsey Town Clerk was made to the Department of Infrastructure, but the request was ultimately withdrawn after the authority cited exemptions for personal data and the free and frank provision of advice. | ||
| 2025-01-17 | Traffic Management of the Central Promenade during construction 2021 | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request for 2021 traffic management, risk assessments, and construction details regarding the Central Promenade was made to the Department of Infrastructure. The authority responded that no information was sent because some records were held by a third-party contractor or lost due to website decommissioning, while other held information was exempt due to legal professional privilege. | ||
| 2025-01-15 | Catering Contract IOM Airport | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for the current Caterleisure catering contract, its expiry date, and future tender documents for the Isle of Man Airport. The Department of Infrastructure withheld the contract and expiry date citing commercial interests but confirmed that future tender documents do not yet exist. | ||
| 2025-01-07 | Private rent-outs of Bus Vannin buses and minibuses in 2024 | All information sent |
| The request sought statistics on private hires of Bus Vannin vehicles and drivers in 2024, including breakdowns by day of the week. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed a full dataset showing 310 total hires involving 375 buses, 22 minibuses, and 397 drivers, with Saturdays being the busiest day. | ||
| 2025-01-07 | Process resulting in temporary closure of Castletown Square Ref. RCO48 | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for details regarding the approval process and documentation for the temporary closure of Castletown Square. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed submission dates and approval timelines but stated that specific communication plans and evidence of stakeholder consultation were not held due to staff turnover. | ||
| 2025-01-07 | Peel Marina Gate | Information not held |
| A request was made for statistics regarding delays in opening the Peel Marina flap gate and swing bridge over the last 24 months. The Department of Infrastructure responded that the information is not held as the Harbours division does not retain relevant records. | ||
| 2025-01-07 | Ramsey harbour | Not upheld |
| The requester sought contracts regarding Mezeron's use of Ramsey harbour and records on Costa bin placement, but the Department of Infrastructure refused disclosure citing commercial sensitivity. | ||
| 2025-01-07 | Housing increase | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the recommended rental increases proposed by each housing authority for the 2025/26 year. The Department of Infrastructure confirmed that all requested information was provided in an attached appendix. | ||
| 2025-01-07 | Refund Section relating to Comis Hotel Returning Residents | All information sent |
| The request sought statistics on refund applications and entitlements for Comis Hotel returning residents following the implementation of the Kate Brunner KC recommendations. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that 58 applications were received, 50 refunds were paid, and 90 residents are entitled to refunds out of 107 total stayers. | ||
| 2025-01-06 | Transport to and from Niarbyl: number of passengers paying on bus | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of passengers paying on the bus for routes between Douglas, Niarbyl, and Peel during the 2024 season, excluding Go Card users. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that 17 tickets were issued for the Douglas-Niarbyl route and 29 for the Niarbyl-Peel route. | ||
| 2025-01-03 | Percentages | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details on the specific work duties covered by 34% and 31.5% salary allowances for Port Security roles, following a previous request for salary scales. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that these allowances are not for specific tasks but are full recompense for rostered shifts, night duty, weekend work, and public holidays. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Settlement Agreements | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for statistics and templates regarding employment settlement agreements issued by the Department of Infrastructure since September 2021. The authority disclosed that two such agreements were issued to non-PSC employees but withheld specific details and templates due to data protection exemptions and lack of internal records. | ||
| 2024-12-19 | Driving Licence Alignment to UK | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2024-12-11 | Electric vehicles, end of life disposal | All information sent |
| The request sought the Isle of Man government's policy on disposing of electric vehicles and batteries for both private and government ownership. The response disclosed that no specific EV disposal policy exists, government vehicles are sold via auction, and lithium-ion batteries are managed under dangerous goods legislation and a specific waste operator policy. | ||
| 2024-12-10 | organizational chart- Harbours Division | Not upheld |
| 2024-12-04 | Cost of painting IOM Courts of Justice. | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for a detailed cost breakdown of painting the Courts of Justice buildings, including scaffolding and contractor names. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the total cost and contractor details but withheld the specific breakdown of costs under a commercial interest exemption. | ||
| 2024-12-04 | Island's Heritage Railways Replacement | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought documentation regarding proposals to close or replace Isle of Man Heritage Railways with cycle paths and transfer ownership to Manx National Heritage. The Department of Infrastructure released a Terms of Reference, a Systra Report, and internal cost notes, but withheld Council of Ministers papers citing exemptions. | ||
| 2024-12-03 | Harbour Dues , Houseboat dues and boat park fees | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2024-11-27 | Notify app | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding the subscription costs for the 'Notify' app used by the Isle of Man. The authority disclosed that the annual license, support, and hosting fee is £4,320.00. | ||
| 2024-11-19 | Salaries | All information sent |
| The request sought salary details and percentage allowances for Port Security officers and managers, including changes related to a transfer to the Department of Home Affairs. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that specific allowance breakdowns are not held but provided consolidated percentage rates and details on proposed condition changes. | ||
| 2024-11-18 | MT Buyout | Information not held |
| A request was made for all correspondence held by Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall regarding Manx Telecom's offer for a government buyout. The Department of Infrastructure responded that they do not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2024-11-15 | Number of fatalities on the Island's road in 2023 and 2024 | All information sent |
| The request sought the number of road fatalities on the Isle of Man for 2023 and 2024 to date. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that there were 2 fatalities in 2023 and 4 fatalities in 2024 up to November 20th, noting that figures may change due to ongoing investigations. | ||
| 2024-11-12 | Seabed Value | All information sent |
| The Department of Infrastructure disclosed aggregated revenue and agreement counts for Controlled Marine Activities from 2013/14 to 2024/25, broken down by activity type and VAT status. The response provided full financial data for offshore renewable energy, submarine cables, pipelines, and gas drilling without citing any exemptions. | ||
| 2024-11-12 | Housing Association | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought terms of reference, consultant details, and communications regarding a proposed housing association; the Department of Infrastructure disclosed the consultant's identity and tender documents but confirmed it does not hold specific terms of reference or the requested written communications. | ||
| 2024-11-12 | Gulley cleaning, road sweeping and hedge trimming | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for schedules and actual completion dates for gulley cleaning, road sweeping, and hedge trimming on the A3 road in the Parish of Patrick for 2021-2024. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that no set schedules exist as work is ad hoc, and while hedge trimming records are not held, partial records for sweeping and gully cleaning were provided for October 2022 to October 2024. | ||
| 2024-11-11 | Accidents and Injuries - Douglas Horse Tram Lines | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details of accidents and injuries on the Douglas Horse Tram Lines since their 2022 refurbishment. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed a log of incidents and provided details of one specific complaint regarding a cyclist falling due to wheels getting stuck in the tracks. | ||
| 2024-10-28 | Castletown Beach Sea Wall/ Flood Defence/Access Path/Steps | Upheld - full |
| The requester asked for confirmation of accidents or injuries at the Castletown Beach Sea Wall and access path since its construction. The Department of Infrastructure responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Home Affairs instead. | ||
| 2024-10-25 | Information on housing occupancy for DoI managed housing | Information not held |
| A request was made for the number of sole occupants in 3+ bedroom properties managed by the Department of Infrastructure, but the authority stated the information is not held in an accessible format and would require excessive compilation to provide. | ||
| 2024-10-23 | Windfarms | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Department of Infrastructure for a cost-benefit analysis comparing the Orsted Offshore Windfarm and the Cairns Vie Onshore Windfarm. The department responded that it does not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture instead. | ||
| 2024-10-22 | Flight Plan for private jet planes | Information not held |
| A request was made for the final destinations of private jet flights departing from Ronaldsway Airport between April and September 2024. The Department of Infrastructure responded that the information is not held, as they do not retain flight plans and cannot compile the data from billing systems. | ||
| 2024-10-18 | Closure of Castletown Square Notice PER161 | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the decision-making process and objection statistics regarding the closure of Castletown Square. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the legal authority used, confirmed the Town Clerk's supportive stance, and provided corrected figures on the number of objections and petitions received. | ||
| 2024-10-15 | Ørsted | Upheld - partial |
| The requester asked for annual income received by the Department of Infrastructure from Ørsted for the Mooir Vannin seabed lease since 2015/16. The Department refused to disclose the information, citing exemptions related to economic and commercial interests. | ||
| 2024-10-15 | Peel Marina | Not upheld |
| The request sought documentation on long-term silt disposal plans for Peel Marina and specific cost data regarding Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), transport, and dredging. The Department of Infrastructure refused to compile meeting notes and recordings under section 8(3)(c) but disclosed specific costs for EIA preparation, silt transport, and the overall dredging project. | ||
| 2024-10-09 | Fire Risk Assessments for Government Office Buildings | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the most recent fire risk assessments for six specific government office buildings on the Isle of Man. The Department of Infrastructure provided assessments for four buildings but confirmed they do not hold records for the Registry Building and Thie Slieu Whallian. | ||
| 2024-10-09 | Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions | All information sent |
| The requester asked if the UK Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions and Traffic Signs Manual are adopted as law or best practice in the Isle of Man. The Department of Infrastructure responded that UK manuals are guidance only, while local traffic signs are regulated by the Traffic Signs (Application) Regulations 2003 and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1985. | ||
| 2024-10-01 | Bus usage figures | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request for average passenger numbers per journey for all Bus Vannin routes for 2019, 2020, and 2023 was refused by the Department of Infrastructure. The authority determined that compiling the data would require approximately 1600 working hours, exceeding the limits of the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2024-09-26 | Copy of minute meetings & attendance lists for Airport Shadow board me | Not required to fulfill request |
| A request was made for minutes and attendance lists of the Airport Shadow Board meetings from late 2023 to mid-2024, to which the Department of Infrastructure responded by providing redacted copies of the documents despite an initial outcome classification of 'Not required to fulfill request'. | ||
| 2024-09-25 | No of houses approved from 2010 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the number of new house builds approved since 2010 and between 2000-2010, along with a breakdown by contractor. The Department of Infrastructure stated it does not hold approval or contractor data, but provided a table of dwellings completed between 2007 and 2023. | ||
| 2024-09-25 | How many passengers get on the X3 7:10am Bus in Ramsey only | All information sent |
| The requester asked for passenger numbers boarding the 7:10 am X3 bus from Ramsey to Douglas for the previous six months, excluding passengers boarding in Douglas. The Department of Infrastructure provided daily passenger figures for March through August 2024, including averages and notes on bank holidays and ticket machine failures. | ||
| 2024-09-25 | Castle Jetty Peel | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made regarding the structural stability, public access restrictions, and cleanliness of the Castle Jetty in Peel. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed that bottom stabilisation is complete but deck works await Treasury funding, while confirming the jetty is closed for repairs and parking prevention, though they stated they do not hold information regarding the accumulation of detritus. | ||
| 2024-09-24 | Peel Marina Dredgings | Not upheld |
| The request sought details on the date, costs, and disposal plans for Peel Marina dredgings. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed the dredging date, removal timeline, and intended reuse location, but withheld specific leasing costs citing commercial sensitivity. | ||
| 2024-09-24 | Public Auction - Talus MB764 Amphibious Tractor and Talus launch trail | All information sent |
| The requester asked if a Talus MB764 Amphibious Tractor and launch trailer being auctioned were assets purchased by the Department of Infrastructure for aviation emergency RIB launches. The authority confirmed the items are their assets, originally used for Inshore Rescue Boat training and emergency responses, and are now being sold. | ||
« Previous Page 4 of 20 Next »