About the Department for Transport

The aim of the Department for Transport is transport that works for everyone. Its objectives are to build a reliable and safe transport system.

For the information that is available on the website, the DfT website is currently structured around the core business areas (see below). The current intention is to brigade information on a similar basis to the current DfT site as the web pages are revised – a process that will be completed in Spring 2003.

You will be able to obtain information contained in the classes in this Scheme either by browsing by class or by subject to obtain all relevant information or refine this to a specific piece of information.

The Information Rights Unit within Information and Data Management Division of the DfT has responsibility for day to day management of the DfT Publication Scheme. Access to information on the DfT website is the responsibility of the DfT’s Communication Directorate in association with line divisions and Agencies.

The Publication Scheme

The Publication Scheme specifies the categories of information that the Department and its agencies publish at the moment and will publish in the future and explains how to obtain that information (which may be available directly through the DfT or elsewhere). It also makes it clear whether the information is available free of charge or on payment. For people who need information in alternative formats, we will take all reasonable steps to make the material available.

The DfT Publication Scheme covers the following executive agencies. You will need to approach the attached contacts for the information that is not available on the DfT or agencies web sites, or for any priced information or information for which there is a fee.

Relevant Contacts within the DfT and Agencies

Department for Transport

David Coker (Data Protection Officer)
Information Rights Unit
Ashdown House
Sedlescombe Road North
St Leonards on Sea
East Sussex
TN37 7GA

Tel: 020 7944 8479
Email: david.coker@dft.gsi.gov.uk

Press Office
DfT Communications
Resource Management
Zone 5/01 Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London
SW1 4DR

Tel: 020 7944 8300

DfT Free Literature Service
PO Box 236
Wetherby
LS23 7NB

Tel: 0870 1226 236
Email: dft@twoten.press.net

DfT website: www.dft.gov.uk

Highways Agency

For all access requests, supply of documents and press notices:

Highways Agency Information Line
Highways Agency
123 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 9HA

Tel: 0300 123 5000

Email: ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Highways Agency website: www.highways.gov.uk

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Freedom Of Information
Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
Longview Road,
Morriston
Swansea SA99 1AW

Tel: 01792 782318
Email: FoI@dvla.gsi.gov.uk

Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla or http://www.direct.gov.uk/motoring

Driving Standards Agency

The Axis
112 Upper Parliament Street
Nottingham
NG1 6LP

Tel: 01159366772
dsa.gsi.gov.uk

DSA website: www.dft.gov.uk/dsa

Vehicle and Operators Services Agency

Information Access Team
Vehicle and Operators Services Agency
Berkeley House
Bristol
BS5 0DA

Tel: 0117 954 2545
Fax: 0117 954 2546
Email: Inform@vosa.gov.uk

VOSA Press Office
(address as above)

Tel: 0117 954 3208
Fax: 0117 954 3209
Email: Press@vosa.gov.uk

Sales of Publications
(address as above)
Email: Publications@vosa.gov.uk

VOSA website: www.dft.gov.uk/vosa

Vehicle Certification Agency

Information Manager
VCA
1 Eastgate Office Centre
Eastgate Road
Bristol
BS5 6XX

Email: enquiries@vca.gov.uk

VCA website: www.dft.gov.uk/vca

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Spring Place HQ
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG

Email: mca_publication_scheme@mcga.gov.uk

MCGA website: http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/c4mca/mcga-foia-publication.htm

Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA)

Email: information.desk@gcda.gsi.gov.uk

GCDA website: http://www.dft.gov.uk/gcda

Purpose and aim of scheme

This Publication Scheme has been developed under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and has been agreed by the Information Commissioner. It provides a guide to the information DfT publishes or has agreed to make available in the light of the provisions of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. It is not a list of the actual publications, since this may change as other items are published but rather it is a description of the classes or types of information published. A list of DfT publications, including priced publications, is available on the DfT website) or from the DfT contact (details as above). Many of the individual classes in the Scheme refer the user to The Stationery Office (TSO: www.thestationeryoffice.co.uk) as the publisher of the documents falling within that class. However, the department may not always publish through TSO and reserves its rights to publish through other organisations in the future. We will indicate those publishers, other than the Department, against documents that appear in the publication list. Alternatively, the DfT contact will be able to advise you.

Information included in the Scheme will be made available, either on the DfT website, or through the DfT contact points or other providers (subject to their agreement) as indicated. The DfT website also includes information that is not routinely published and not covered by this Scheme but is made available nonetheless. If you cannot find what you want either on the website or through this Scheme you may consider whether you wish to make an access request under the provisions of the Environmental Information Regulations 1992 or the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information until 2005 when the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will come fully into force. Access requests should be directed to the Department’s or Agency contacts listed above. Please provide as much detail as possible to help us identify the information you require.

Information that carries a charge will be identified. Payment will be required in advance.

Is information free of charge or on payment?

There may be a charge for information published under the Scheme, depending on how you obtain it. We indicate for each class of information in the Publication Scheme where a charge may be levied and where the information is normally free. If a class includes chargeable material, a "£" will appear under the costs heading. We set out below our general charging policy which explains the circumstances in which charges may be made for information which is normally free (for example, if more than one print out from the website is requested or you want to receive a copy of information viewed at the DfT or agency library).

a. Information that appears on our website. There is no charge by us if you print off information that appears on the website (although you may of course have to meet any charges by your Internet Service Provider, personal printing costs etc). If you do not have Internet access, single printouts as on the website will be available from the Department’s information contact (see above) free of charge. However, requests for multiple printouts, or for archived copies of documents that are no longer available on the web, may attract a charge for the cost of retrieval, photocopy, postage etc. We will let you know at the time of your request the charge which will be required in advance of supplying the information;

b. Current publicity leaflets or booklets issued by the Department and its agencies will be available from DfT Free Literature Service (contact details above) free of charge;

c. Information generated by the Department may be viewed free of charge at DfT’s Library or agency libraries (for details see contact above). If you wish to make photocopies of the information a charge may be levied. This will be payable in advance;

d. Information available via a website, but a charge would have to be paid before the main part of the information could be accessed. This may arise, e.g. where the website is used to deliver a value-added customised service, particularly where the basic data is also available to private sector users who may provide their own value-added service. Where this applies the reason for the charge and the level of charges will be notified to you in advance.

e. The charges for priced publications in both paper and electronic format and videos are as set out in our publication list available either on the DfT website or from the Department’s contact listed above.

If you want to re-use or reproduce our publications, e.g. commercially or for circulation for education, etc, purposes, you will in most cases need to apply for a licence for this at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/. This Department is a Crown body and our information is subject to Crown copyright administered by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

What is included within the Scheme?

The DfT Scheme provides for a consistent approach across the DfT business areas and agencies by setting out the classes of information that we will proactively release and readily make available to the public. Not all the information held by the Department is, however, included in the Scheme. Information that the Department considers is sensitive is excluded. For example, information will not be released if, in the Department’s view, it is commercially sensitive, relates to security matters, comprises legal advice or its disclosure would amount to an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

The Publication Scheme is not retrospective. We will not therefore publish under this Scheme information held by us which predates 30 November 2002. Any other restrictions or limitations on the release and retention of documents and information regarding the costs of documents are set out in the description of each class.

Feedback and complaints with the Scheme

We would welcome your feedback on the Department’s Scheme in particular its coverage or if you have any complaints. Please contact the Department using the Department’s contact details listed above.

Classes of information

Who we are and what we do

Organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance.

What we spend and how we spend it

Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and contracts.

The Parliament.UK site publishes information on Ministerial expenses at: www.Parliament.UK.

The cost of ministerial cars to Departments was made available under a written ministerial statement on 22nd July 2008 see:
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm.

What our priorities are and how we are doing

Strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews.

How we make decisions

Policy proposals and decisions. Decision making processes, internal criteria and procedures, consultations.

Our policies and procedures

Current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities.

Lists and registers

Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the authority.

The services we offer

Advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases. A description of the services offered.

Charges which may be made for information published under this scheme

Charges may be made for information subject to a charging regime specified by Parliament. Charges may be made for actual disbursements incurred such as:

• photocopying
• postage and packaging
• the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information

If a charge is to be made, confirmation of the payment due will be given before the information is provided. Payment may be requested prior to provision of the information.

Written requests

Information held by a public authority that is not published under this scheme can be requested in writing, when its provision will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. You can submit a request via our website at: Making a Request. You can also see our responses to previous requests at: Published Responses.

Annex

Items that include information relevant to the Department for Transport’s activities but which are not published by the Department.

Acts of Parliament

Scope: Acts of Parliament and explanatory notes from 1988 onwards are available from the HMSO website www.hmso.gov.uk/acts.htm free of charge, and can be purchased from the TSO website www.thestationeryoffice.co.uk. DfT Bills are available on the Parliament website: www.parliament.uk.

Timing: As available on the relevant websites listed above.

Costs: Subject to any charges levied by TSO.

PQ

Scope: Answers provided by DfT to Parliamentary Questions are available from the Hansard website as follows:

Commons: www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmpubns.htn and

Lords: www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldhansrd.htm

Papers deposited in the House Libraries, as part of an answer, and where available in electronic format, will be available from the House websites.

Timing: Copies of PQ answers are available once they have appeared in the Hansard website and are subject to the availability conditions of that site.

Costs: See websites referred to above for pricing

Statutory Instruments

Scope: DfT SI’s from 1987 are available on the HMSO web site: www.hmso.gov.uk.

Timing: As available on the HMSO website.

Costs: Free of charge