Storms and Highways

Summary

A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding policies and procedures for clearing fallen trees from highways during storms, including a specific inquiry about an incident on Poortown Road on 21 January 2024. The authority confirmed that all requested information was sent to the applicant.

Key Facts

• The Department of Infrastructure responded to a Freedom of Information request received on 16 August 2024.
• The outcome of the request was 'All information sent' on 13 September 2024.
• The response included 9 pages of information across 2 documents.
• The request covered general storm damage policies and specific correspondence regarding a fallen tree near Poortown Road.
• The Department of Infrastructure is the authority responsible for clearing fallen trees from public highways in the Isle of Man.

Data Disclosed

• 2024-08-16
• 2024-09-13
• 2024-01-21
• 9
• 2
• 4066281
• IM1 2RF
• (01624) 686785

Original Request

Please provide answers with any documentation where applicable to the following questions: 1) Does the Department have any official policy or written procedure for responses to storm damage and in particular where storms or inclement weather have resulted in trees falling onto public highways/ roads? If so, please supply a copy of the same 2) In addition to the above, and where the above written policy or procedure does not address the same, please provide any additional information on: a) Whether the Department has the responsibility for clearing a fallen tree from a public highway in the event of storm damage. If the responsibility can lie with more than one Department, authority, entity or induvial please advise in what circumstances the Department of Infrastructure would not take action to remove a fallen tree form the public highway b) Does the Department have authority to temporarily close a road/ highway when a tree has fallen onto a public road or highway; c) If the Department does have authority to temporary close a road/ highway what is the criteria on which the Department determine whether a road will be closed or remain open; d) If the Department does have authority to temporary close a road/ highway does the Department have any policy or best practice with regard to timeframes for effecting a road closure through the deployment of personnel, signage etc? e) Save for road closure, what other measures/ equipment does the Department have available to it to reduce the likelihood of a road traffic accident arising from a fallen tree- such as lighting, traffic flow measures etc and is there any policy, procedure or best practice for their use? f) If the Department is dealing with multiple reports of storm damage and in particular where trees that have fallen onto a public highway or road does the Department have any policy or practice concerning the prioritising of the Department's resources. g) Please advise whether the Department notifies the general public if they become aware of any obstruction such as a fallen tree on a public highways and if so by what means the Department notify the public h) Does the Department have any policy or best practice with regard to response times for attending a site for the removal of a fallen tree from the public highway? 3) How are fallen trees as a result of storm/ inclemental weather reported to the Department 4) To what extent do the Department notify the Isle of Man Constabulary and vice versa of any obstructions in the highway as a result of inclemental weather 5) Please provide copies of all correspondence such as emails, transcripts (telephone, meeting etc.) or by whatever other means between the Department of Infrastructure and the Constabulary during the night of 21/01/2024 regarding the storm and in particular a fallen tree near or around Poortown Road 6) In addition to the above, when was the Department of Infrastructure and/or Constabulary made aware of any fallen tree during the night of 21/01/2024 near or around Poortown Road

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Appendix 1

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

Contact: FOI Response Team Telephone: (01624) 686785 Email: dpo-doi@gov.im

Our ref: 4066281 12 September 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 16 August 2024, which states:

"Please provide answers with any documentation where applicable to the following questions:

1) Does the Department have any official policy or written procedure for responses to storm damage and in particular where storms or inclement weather have resulted in trees falling onto public highways/ roads? If so, please supply a copy of the same

2) In addition to the above, and where the above written policy or procedure does not address the same, please provide any additional information on:

a) Whether the Department has the responsibility for clearing a fallen tree from a public highway in the event of storm damage. If the responsibility can lie with more than one Department, authority, entity or induvial please advise in what circumstances the Department of Infrastructure would not take action to remove a fallen tree form the public highway

b) Does the Department have authority to temporarily close a road/ highway when a tree has fallen onto a public road or highway;

c) If the Department does have authority to temporary close a road/ highway what is the criteria on which the Department determine whether a road will be closed or remain open;

d) If the Department does have authority to temporary close a road/ highway does the Department have any policy or best practice with regard to timeframes for effecting a road closure through the deployment of personnel, signage etc?

e) Save for road closure, what other measures/ equipment does the Department have available to it to reduce the likelihood of a road traffic accident arising from a fallen tree- such as lighting, traffic flow measures etc and is there any policy, procedure or best practice for their use?

f) If the Department is dealing with multiple reports of storm damage and in particular where trees that have fallen onto a public highway or road does the Department have any policy or practice concerning the prioritising of the Department's resources.

g) Please advise whether the Department notifies the general public if they become aware of any obstruction such as a fallen tree on a public highways and if so by what means the Department notify the public

h) Does the Department have any policy or best practice with regard to response times for attending a site for the removal of a fallen tree from the public highway?

3) How are fallen trees as a result of storm/ inclemental weather reported to the Department

4) To what extent do the Department notify the Isle of Man Constabulary and vice versa of any obstructions in the highway as a result of inclemental weather

5) Please provide copies of all correspondence such as emails, transcripts (telephone, meeting etc.) or by whatever other means between the Department of Infrastructure and the Constabulary during the night of 21/01/2024 regarding the storm and in particular a fallen tree near or around Poortown Road

6) In addition to the above, when was the Department of Infrastructure and/or Constabulary made aware of any fallen tree during the night of 21/01/2024 near or around Poortown Road"

Our response to your request is as follows:

1) The Department does not currently hold a written policy or procedure for responses to storm damage. A task-based risk assessment exists for dealing with Fallen Trees (RA046), which is attached in Appendix 1.

2a) The Department has responsibility for clearing obstructions on the Highway in accordance with the Highways Act 1986. The responsibility for clearing a fallen tree may rest with more than one department or authority. Where a tree falls and is hung up or entangled on overhead wires and there is the risk of electrocution the DoI would not take action to remove it and would pass the responsibility to Manx Utilities.

2b) Under Section 7 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1985, the Department is given the authority to temporarily close a road.

2c) The Department will make a site-specific assessment of the potential risk to the travelling public and its employees. Criteria that will be considered in deciding to close a road will include safety of the public, speed of the road, traffic volume, accessibility (is the road fully blocked or partially blocked), road hierarchy, availability of resources, advice from other Emergency Services/Utilities.

2d) There is no policy on timeframes for affecting a road closure, the Department will aim to close the road as soon as possible to reduce the risk. The temporary closure signage will be placed and managed under the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice. This is the Departments best practice guidance document under these circumstances.

2e) In the event of a partial road blockage from a fallen tree the Department may provide signage, cones and lamps to direct traffic around the blockage. Under certain circumstances stop and go boards or traffic lights may be positioned to manage traffic flow where it is practical to do so. Traffic management is set up as per the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice.

2f) Prioritisation is based on the hierarchy of the road network. Main arterial routes and access to hospitals would be prioritised first. There is also dialogue with the other emergency services and if there was a medical emergency or risk to life this would take priority.

2g) Where emergency closures are necessary this is notified via email to a key group of stakeholders. Where practical, social media is used during working hours to notify the public of emergency closures and disruption to the highway network. There is not usually an out of hours social media capacity for releasing messaging.

2h) Once reported the Department would aim to send an officer to assess the issue as soon as available, with the intention to clear or make safe.

3) Fallen trees are reported to the Department by members of the public or emergency services upon discovery. Contact can be made by telephone, email or by the notify IM mobile device application.

4) The Department will always notify Emergency Services Joint Control Room (ESJCR) of road closures through the issue of the emergency road closure notification. If ESJCR are made aware of an obstruction in the highway they will inform the Department via a telephone call to the control room or duty officer.

5) No recorded transcripts have been retained or telephone conversations recorded by the Department of Infrastructure. A Department officer took the call from ESJCR in relation to the fallen tree on the Poortown Road, Peel.

6) The Department of infrastructure was made aware of a fallen tree in Poortown Road during the night of 21/01/24 when the ESJCR telephone call was placed to the Department.

Please quote the reference number 4066281 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.

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.