FOI release

M6 Lune Gorge Queries

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 EIR2024/00086

Received 13 May 2024

Published 10 September 2024

Request

We’ve reviewed the information received as part of the FOI process, which has resulted in a few more queries. Can you please help with provide the following: 1. The ‘management plan’, as defined in National Highways standard CS 466 Section 8, for each affected structure. We understand that a decision has been made to replace all structures. Replacement is one of a range of long-term options that should have been considered alongside repair, strengthening (etc.). We wish to review the process that has resulted in selection of the ‘replace’ option in each case. We do not need to see specific replacement design details or programmes. 2. The analysis that National Highways has undertaken to forecast queues and delays as a result of the current traffic management proposals. 3. How the risk of breakdown and resulting congestion will be mitigated. 4. Could you please share the methodology used to repair the spaghetti junction s-joints in Birmingham? 5. Could you please share your economic impact assessment and environmental detriment for the Lune Gorge project works?

Response

Information provided

1. The 'management plan', as defined in National Highways standard CS 466 Section 8, for each affected structure. We understand that a decision has been made to replace all structures. Replacement is one of a range of long-term options that should have been considered alongside repair, strengthening (etc.). We wish to review the process that has resulted in selection of the 'replace' option in each case. We do not need to see specific replacement design details or programmes.

Please see the 8 PDFs which can be downloaded from this link.

They are titled:

· HE563711-ATK-SBR-B5-RP-CB-000001_Redacted

· HE563711-ATK-SBR-B7-RP-CB-000001_Redacted

· HE609073-ATK-SBR-B1-RP-CB-000001_Redacted

· HE609073-ATK-SBR-B2-RP-CB-000001_Redacted

· HE609073-ATK-SBR-B3-RP-CB-000001_Redacted

· HE609073-ATK-SBR-B4-RP-CB-000001_Redacted

· HE609073-ATK-SBR-B6-RP-CB-000001_Redacted

· M6 Lawtland House Maintenance Options Report_HE605901-AMEY-GEN-M6_430_1-RP-CB-0000-01_20210211_Redacted

Personal information has been withheld under Regulation 13 of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

3 How the risk of breakdown and resulting congestion will be mitigated.

We are still working on the traffic management plan. However, there will be free recovery traversing the traffic management area.

Information withheld

Some of the information within the documents provided has been withheld under exception in Regulation 12(5)(e) - Commercial or industrial information of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. This is because it is commercial information which if it were to be released, would weaken the tender process and undermine our leverage to obtain the best value for the public purse.

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

2. The analysis that National Highways has undertaken to forecast queues and delays as a result of the current traffic management proposals.

4. Could you please share the methodology used to repair the spaghetti junction s-joints in Birmingham?

5. Could you please share your economic impact assessment and environmental detriment for the Lune Gorge project works?

I can confirm that National Highways does not hold this information, and as such this part of your request has been refused under Regulation 12(4)(a) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 as information not held.

Advice and Assistance

(Q2) The last analysis was undertaken 3 years ago and was based on 10km of contraflow and a different construction methodology. We recently undertook a value engineering exercise. Following this, the construction methodology changed and we have been able to reduce the traffic management from 10 km to 5km.

We have not yet undertaken an analysis of the traffic as we are still building up the traffic management plan, in line with our new construction methodology.

(Q4) 'S-joints' do not exist at Spaghetti Junction and we are unfamiliar with that term.

It may be helpful to know that 'expansion joints' were repaired and replaced at Spaghetti Junction. For the Lune Gorge scheme we are dealing with 'half joints' which have a different methodology to expansion joints because they are fully load bearing. The option report for each bridge (provided in response to Q1) explains how we would repair/replace half joints.

(Q5) An Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) usually takes place as part of a set of modelling and appraisal documents undertaken in compliance with DfT Transport Analysis Guidance. Therefore, no transport economic analysis is required because the with-scheme layout will not change.

An EIA is not required for the Lune Gorge scheme because it's a renewal scheme to replace bridge decks containing vulnerable and deteriorated elements in order to safeguard the existing motorway layout.

The business case for the scheme centers on managing the risk of the bridges' further deterioration. If this were to happen emergency measures would be required which could prejudice the effective operation of the M6.

We have not yet commenced the environmental assessment report because the environmental assessment is still in progress. You are welcome to submit a new request for this at a later date. A final version will be completed during March 2026, at the end of the detailed design phase.

Documents

This is National Highways' response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.