Drug and alcohol tests on AWPR Project: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/17/02385
Date received: 16 October 2017
Date responded: 21 November 2017

Information requested

AWPR – Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route

"I have an FOI request related to drug and alcohol tests at the AWPR site - Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) Project.

• How many workers have failed drugs and alcohol tests since construction began, broken down into individual years?
• What positions did these workers have?
• What action was taken against them?
• Have all tests been random or have any been the result of a blanket test?
• If there has been any blanket tests, why were they introduced?"

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested. The contract for the Design, Build, Finance and Operation of the project roads was awarded to Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL) in December 2014. As such, ARL is responsible for undertaking drug and alcohol tests for all employees on the project. It is not a requirement for ARL to report details of these tests to Transport Scotland however we are satisfied that ARL has an effective process in place for the management of appropriate testing on the AWPR/B-T site.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Notwithstanding this, ARL reported cumulative figures in September 2016 for drug and alcohol testing. 1,916 people were tested for drugs and alcohol between the start of the project and August 2016, of which there were 131 failures. Transport Scotland does not hold any information on drug and alcohol testing, for the period after August 2016, nor is this information held on our behalf.

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