Representation by John Pasiecznik
- Date submitted
- 12 August 2021
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I strongly oppose this proposed "half-a-bypass", as I suspect most other people in Glossopdale who responded to the latest (of many) public consultations in 2020 also do. If built, this wholly unsatisfactory half-a-bypass will actually greatly increase vehicular traffic in Hadfield, Hollingworth and Glossop, and Highways England admits that. I submitted a FOI request to Highways England to have a copy of the results of the 2020 public consultation, and finally received this response (pasted below) on 28.03.21. Can you now provide me with the full results of the 2020 consultation into this wholly unsatisfactory new road proposal. NB: For the past 60 years, local residents have been promised a FULL and PROPER bypass from the end of the M67 motorway at Mottram to the east of Tintwistle i.e. it will take ALL trans-Pennine traffic out of the whole of the Glossopdale and the villages of Mottram, Hollingworth and Tintwistle; what we're getting now is a cheap and incomplete compromise half-a-bypass which will cause more congestion and traffic problems in the area. Thanks John Dear Mr Pasiecznik, I am writing to advise you that we do hold information that is relevant to your request on 31/03/2021 but regret to inform you of my decision not to disclose this information. The information you requested is being withheld in reliance on the exception in regulation 12(4)(d) [EIR regulation 12] of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 because the information is in draft format and therefore incomplete. In applying this exception 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 below: Request for Information EIR 101998 - A57 Link roads public consultation EIR Regulation 12(4)(d) – Material in the course of completion, unfinished documents and incomplete data Factors supporting disclosure Factors supporting non-disclosure There is a clear public interest in the work of government being closely examined to encourage the discharging of public functions in the most efficient and effective way; There is an important public interest in the work of public bodies being transparent and open to scrutiny to increase diligence and to protect the public purse; Information is in draft form and therefore incomplete. The data needs to be contextualised in order to interpret the information. If disclosed in current state i.e. without contextualisation, it may cause ambiguity once the final version of the report has been published. The Public Consultation report is to be published and made available to the general public in due course. If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your request you may ask for an internal review. Our internal review process is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/highways-england/about/complaints-procedure If you require a print copy, please phone the Information Line on 0300 123 5000; or e-mail info@highwaysengland.co.uk. You should contact me if you wish to complain. If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote reference number 101998 in any future communications. Yours sincerely, Andrew Dawson Project Manager – A57 Link Roads Regional Investment Programme NW Highways England | 5th Floor | 3 Piccadilly Place | Manchester | M1 3BN Web: www.highwaysengland.co.uk I am totally opposed to this half-a-bypass, half-baked scheme for the following pertinent reasons: * I live in Hadfield, and, if the half-a-bypass is ever completed (which I hope it never is) then traffic on nearby Dinting Road will INCREASE by 45%, with increases in traffic on nearby Shaw Lane and Cemetery Road. * Air pollution will increase on nearby Dinting Road. * There would be more vehicular noise near Woolley Bridge, close to my house. I could go on and on about the huge disadvantages of this half-a-bypass proposal but the above 3 points are important enough. For 60 years, we have been promised a FULL by-pass from the end of the M67 motorway to east of Tintwistle, by-passing Mottram, Hollingworth, and Tintwistle, Instead local residents are being fobbed off with this dreadful road scheme.