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
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-03-23 | Diesel loco mileage and future | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-03-16 | Road traffic accident occurring on Douglas promenade | All information sent |
| 2023-03-14 | IOM Airport - planned upgrade of the Instrument Landing System | All information sent |
| 2023-03-14 | 40 mph speed limit Kirk Michael to Douglas | All information sent |
| 2023-03-10 | Theory test | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-03-07 | Wybourn Drive, Onchan Resurfacing | All information sent |
| 2023-03-03 | Reasons for closure of airport each morning | Information not held |
| 2023-02-20 | crossing installation at Market Place Ramsey | All information sent |
| 2023-02-17 | Heritage trail | All information sent |
| 2023-02-16 | Cost of Douglas Promenade refurbishment | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2023-02-13 | Vehicle tax | All information sent |
| 2023-02-08 | New Year's Eve Train | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-02-07 | Can you advise me please of all DOI works within the River Glass | Upheld - partial |
| 2023-02-06 | Hydrocarbon Licensing: Block 112/25 and associated blocks | All information sent |
| 2023-02-03 | Number of Social Housing Properties by Local Authority | All information sent |
| 2023-01-31 | List of all Dept of Infrastructure bids to Treasury | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-01-24 | Requesting a list for the full number of Disabled Parking Bays | Information not held |
| 2023-01-24 | Isle of Man Driving Licence Figures | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-01-19 | external legal support open data | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-01-19 | Castletown Beach | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-01-18 | DOI/Housing Matters - The Steadings | Information not held |
| 2023-01-17 | Parking Tickets | All information sent |
| 2023-01-09 | Ballacallin Hotel | Information not held |
| 2023-01-05 | Snaefell Mountain Railway | All information sent |
| 2023-01-05 | ET Phone DOI | Information not held |
| 2022-12-20 | Number of Automatic and Manual drivers | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2022-12-20 | Isle of Man Public Transportation Apps | All information sent |
| 2022-12-12 | Road gritting | All information sent |
| 2022-12-06 | Rolling Stock Purchases - 'Rampton Collection' | All information sent |
| 2022-12-05 | Public Sector Housing | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2022-11-28 | Report on 27 November | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2022-11-28 | Manx Electric Railway - Laxey/Ramsey Section - Expenditure | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2022-11-22 | Theory test pass rate & Driving Test pass rate | All information sent |
| 2022-11-22 | Vehicle compound | All information sent |
| 2022-11-14 | Internet cameras | All information sent |
| 2022-11-14 | Vehicle licence revenues | All information sent |
| 2022-11-10 | Castletown 20mph zone | All information sent |
| 2022-11-09 | Jurby Industrial Estate Rent Arrears | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2022-11-09 | Railway Data 2022 | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2022-11-09 | Port Jack footpath slips | All information sent |
| 2022-11-01 | Traffic Wardens | All information sent |
| 2022-10-25 | Public Transport Queries | All information sent |
| 2022-10-24 | Visitors | All information sent |
| 2022-10-19 | Ramsey Swing Bridge | All information sent |
| 2022-10-18 | St Johns to Peel footpath | All information sent |
| 2022-10-18 | Disposal of what remains of he wreck of the Claire Anne | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2022-10-17 | Land and properties owned in Peel | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked for a list of properties and land owned by the Department of Infrastructure in specific areas of Peel. The Department refused to fulfill the request, stating the information is already publicly available via the Land Registry. | ||
| 2022-10-13 | Manx utilities gas import | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure for data on gas import volumes, costs, and suppliers for the Isle of Man. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information and suggested contacting the Manx Utilities Authority instead. | ||
| 2022-10-11 | Right of way to the Staarvey Road | Information not held |
| 2022-10-06 | Land and property within government and all departments ownership | Not required to fulfill request |