Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Environmental Information

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

Managing a road network affects the environment. A lot of the information we hold is considered to be environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR). This means we may handle your request using these regulations, when you requested the information under the Freedom of Information Act. Section 39 of The Freedom of Information Act obliges us to use the EIRs when the regulations apply.

You have the right to request information held by the Agency on:

• the state of the environment;
• activities adversely affecting the environment;
• measures designed to protect the environment.

Requests can be made verbally by telephone or in writing. Every request will be satisfied within 20 days unless the information requested is complex. In such cases the Agency will respond within 40 days, but only after informing you in writing that it will take longer than 20 days. Information held in confidence may be withheld.

Environmental Information means any information in written, aural, electronic or other material form on:

1. the state of the elements of the environment, such as air and atmosphere, water, soil, land, landscape and natural sites including wetlands, coastal and marine areas, biological diversity and its components, including genetically modified organisms, and the interaction among these elements
    
2. factors, such as substances, energy, noise, radiation or waste, including radioactive waste, emissions, discharges and other releases into the environment, affecting or likely to affect the elements of the environment referred to in (a)
    
3. measures (including administrative measures), such as policies, legislation, plans, programmes, environmental agreements, and activities affecting or likely to affect the elements and factors referred to in (a) and (b) as well as measures or activities designed to protect those elements
    
4. reports on the implementation of environmental legislation
    
5. cost-benefit and other economic analyses and assumptions used within the framework of the measures and activities referred to in (c) and
    
6. the state of human health and safety, including the contamination of the food chain, where relevant, conditions of human life, cultural sites and built structures inasmuch as they are or may be affected by the state of the elements of the environment referred to in (a) or, through those elements, by any of the matters referred to in (b) and (c)