potholes and surface defects reported 2017 and 2018

Summary

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.

Key Facts

• The Department of Infrastructure received 1,106 pothole reports and 140 road surface defect reports for 2017 and 2018.
• As of April 2018, there were 23 outstanding potholes and 26 outstanding road surface defects.
• Some location data in the provided spreadsheet was redacted because it could be used to identify third parties.
• The authority cited Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 and the Data Protection Act 2002 as the basis for withholding specific personal information.
• The response included 21 pages across 2 documents.

Data Disclosed

• 1,106
• 140
• 23
• 26
• 2017
• 2018
• 2018-03-19
• 2018-04-06
• 21
• 2
• Section 25
• Data Protection Act 2002

Exemptions Cited

• Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Personal Information)
• Data Protection Act 2002

Original Request

Hello, please could you provide the following information: 1. Number of pot holes and road surface defects reported during 2017 and 2018. 2. The locations of the reported pot holes and road surface defects during 2017 and 2018 3. Which of those reported pot holes and road surface defects have been repaired and which are still outstanding.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

APPENDIX 1

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Contact: FOI Co-ordinator Telephone: (01624) 686785 Email: foi.doi@gov.im

Our ref: 360145 5 April 2018

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 19 March 2018 and which states:

"Hello, please could you provide the following information: 1. Number of pot holes and road surface defects reported during 2017 and 2018. 2. The locations of the reported pot holes and road surface defects during 2017 and 2018 3. Which of those reported pot holes and road surface defects have been repaired and which are still outstanding."

Our response to your request is as follows: 1. Potholes reported = 1,106. Road surface defects reported = 140 2. See Appendix 1 and please note the following:

Not all entries on the spreadsheet have a location listed. This is dependent on how individuals have input data and is something we are working to standardise in the future. Some information has been redacted from the spreadsheet provided. This is because the data entered was such that they could be used to identify third parties and thus are subject to an exemption under section 25. Therefore, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information). The reasons why that exemption applies are that • The Department of Infrastructure is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data under the Data Protection Act 2002. • The Department of Infrastructure is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles, namely that the

Department of Infrastructure can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions in schedule 2 and in this case, none of those conditions have been met. 3. Potholes outstanding = 23. Road surface defects outstanding = 26. Please quote the reference number 360145 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to us at
Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Contact: Maggie Farmer Telephone: (01624) 686642 Email: foi.doi@gov.im

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im.

Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Response Team