FOI Request - Sinkhole in Dufftown
Request 101003993231
Please provide the following information.
1 of 8 . What was the original estimated completion date for the road repairs on Fife Street in Dufftown following the sinkhole occurrence in May 2023?
2 of 8. Please provide copies of all project timelines, project management schedules, or Gantt charts produced by or for Moray Council regarding the works associated with the sinkhole on Fife Street in Dufftown between May 2023 and May 2026.
3 of 8. Please provide a copy of any register, report, or internal correspondence detailing the specific reasons or obstacles (e.g., utility issues, ground conditions, contractor disputes) that have delayed the completion of the works to repair the sinkhole on Fife Street in Dufftown.
4 of 8. Please state the number of days the road has been fully or partially closed to traffic since the initial sinkhole on Fife Street in Dufftown appeared.
5 of 8. What is the total expenditure incurred by Moray Council to date (as of May 2026) regarding the sinkhole on Fife Street in Dufftown, subsequent roadworks, and traffic management at this location?
6 of 8. Please provide a breakdown of the costs related to the repairs to Fife Street in Dufftown associated with the sinkhole, including but not limited to:
a) Geotechnical and structural survey fees.
b) Contractor and labor costs.
c) Traffic diversion and temporary traffic light/barrier rental costs.
7 of 8. What was the initial budget allocated for repairs to the sinkhole on Fife Street in Dufftown, and what is the current projected total cost to fully complete the works and reopen the road?
8 of 8. Have any financial penalties or liquidated damages been levied against contractors or subcontractors for failing to meet project milestones regarding the sinkhole on Fife Street in Dufftown? If so, please state the total amount.
Response 01-06-2026
The traffic management currently in place at Fife Street, Dufftown is to protect the retaining wall between the road and the properties to the south of the road from vehicle loading. The sink hole referred to was due to a fault in Scottish Waters infrastructure and for details relating to this work Scottish Water would need to be contacted. Where relevant, answers to the questions below have been provided with regard to the work Moray Council is undertaking to protect the retaining wall.
1. The preferred option to protect the retaining wall has not yet been identified and a programme of work will not be drafted until such time as the proposed solution has been confirmed. As a result the information requested is not held.
2. Works to protect the wall have not yet been confirmed, therefore information requested in point 2 is not available - exempt under S.17 FOISA - not held.
3. Not applicable
4. The road has been partially closed to protect the retaining wall since February 2024.
5. Please see our previous response to FOI 101003992919 here: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_167393.html
The information requested is considered commercially sensitive. Disclosure of the requested information could substantially prejudice commercial interests and so it is exempt under section 33(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, commercial interests.
6. a) & b) The works on the sink hole were undertaken by Scottish Water and all cost information should be obtained from them.
c) As per Question 5
7. Budget information related to the sink hole should be obtained from Scottish Water.
8. Not relevant.