Tra88 Newport and Ebbw Vale rail service

15 May 2012    

Dear ,  

Request for Information – reference ATISN 6007

We wrote to you on 17 April following your request for information.

In your request you asked for:
• A copy of the original Halcrow and the updated Arup business case reports and supporting documentation relating to the provisions of infrastructure and an hourly direct rail services between Newport and Ebbw Vale.

I am enclosing a copy of the Halcrow and the Arup business case reports as requested. There were a number of reasons that we decided to review the original Halcrow data, in order to review and update assumptions made by Halcrow which were based on analysis undertaken in 2002, and to update the 2009 appraisal based on recent trends in patronage and the availability of more up to date operating cost data.

The Arup report will be updated following the analysis of the Rogerstone – Newport trial bus link, and the evidence will assist to inform of the next steps for the Ebbw Vale – Newport rail project.    

You also ask for supporting documentation relating to infrastructure provision for an hourly direct rail service between Newport and Ebbw Vale. This information is contained within the Network Rail Grip 3 study which was commissioned by the Welsh Government. A copy of the report has been published to the Welsh Government website and can be found at (see spotlights). Because we consider this information to be available to you by other means we are not required to provide you with a copy of the information under section 21 of the FOIA ‘Information accessible to the applicant by other means’. This is an absolute exemption and is not subject to the public interest and substantial harm tests. However, please let me know if you do not have access to the internet so I can arrange for a copy to be made available to you.

Any information released under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or Environmental Information Regulations 2004 will be listed in the Welsh Government’s Disclosure Log (at www.information.wales.gov.uk).

If you believe that I have not followed the relevant laws, or you are unhappy with this response, you may request an internal review by writing to:

Malcolm Drury, Head of Rail, Integrated Transport Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff. CF10 3NQ

When dealing with any concerns, we will follow the principles set out in the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice on Complaints which is available on the Internet at www.wales.gov.uk or by post.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.  Normally, however, you should pursue the matter through our internal procedure before you complain to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 01625 545 745
Fax: 01625 524 510
Email: casework@ico.gsi.gov.uk

Also, if you think that there has been maladministration in dealing with your request then you may make a complaint to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales who can be contacted at:

Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
Ffordd yr Hen Gae
Pencoed
Bridgend
CF35 5LJ

Yours Sincerely

Mark Price
Rail Unit
Welsh Government