FOI release

A1 Dualling business case

This request was refused in part, so we didn't provide some of the information the requester asked for. This may include information where we can neither confirm nor deny that we hold it.

Case reference EIR2024/00224

Received 10 June 2024

Published 10 September 2024

Request

Please can you let me have copies of the following documents relating to the proposed dualling of the A1 between Morpeth and Ellingham. - Outline Business Case - Full Business Case Please include all annexes / appendices.

Response

Outline Business Case

This information has been withheld under exception in Regulation 12(4)(d) - Material in the course of completion, unfinished documents, and incomplete data of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 because at this time the Outline Business Case (OBC) is material in the course of completion and therefore an unfinished document. We are actively working on the OBC, revising and updating it with new information where appropriate, to reflect changes in the scope and cost of the scheme since 2021, including further environmental mitigation required in the recently-issued Development Consent Order. Releasing the outdated information at this point will present a misleading and incomplete picture of the scheme and the impact it will have.

In applying this exemption, we have had to balance the public interest in withholding the information against the public interest in disclosure. The key public interest factors for and against disclosure are attached.

Information not held

Full Business Case

I have established that the information you have requested is not held by National Highways. It therefore falls under Regulation 12(4)(a) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004

Advice and Assistance

This project is currently in Stage 4. Following the Secretary of State's decision on the Development Consent Order, the project will soon move to Stage 5. Work on producing the Full Business Case will not commence until towards the end of Stage 5, currently expected to be in late 2026/27. However, this is dependent on the profile of funding for the next Roads Investment Strategy (RIS), which has been delayed due to the calling of the recent general election, so this date may change. You are welcome to make a request for the Full Business Case at a later date.

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

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