“Work to restore the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway could begin within the next year, the Infrastructure Minister has told the House of Keys this week.
Tim Crookall MHK said the business case for the project is currently under review and, if approved by Tynwald, work could commence within 12 months and is expected to take approximately 40 weeks.
Asked by Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse whether any work would take place before the Tynwald debate, Mr Crookall replied: ‘It’s a case of waiting.’
Mr Moorhouse raised concerns over a national newspaper advertisement promoting the ‘full journey’ on the tramway, despite the service only operating on part of the promenade.
He asked whether steps were being taken to ensure visitors were aware of the situation.
The minister said he had ‘no idea’ about the source of the advert, while Onchan MHK Julie Edge explained that it was not new and goes out annually.
Ms Edge also asked whether foundation work had been carried out under the grassed area near the War Memorial to allow for a future tramway extension.
Mr Crookall confirmed: ‘I believe there has been some preparation work done underneath that grass area that leads up towards the other end of the War Memorial.’
Dr Michelle Haywood, former Department of Infrastructure minister, asked whether plans for the tramway would accommodate changes to bus passenger facilities around the Sea Terminal.
Mr Crookall responded: ‘Those secret plans all link together.’
The debate comes amid renewed public attention on the trams, thanks to historian Charles Guard, who recently released a video titled ‘Horse Tram Rant.’
In it, he criticised Tynwald for failing to reinstate the full line along the promenade, nine years after funding was approved.
The trams, which first ran in 1876, are recognised as the last original horse-drawn tram service in the world and form part of the island’s distinctive Victorian transport heritage, alongside the Manx Electric Railway and the Isle of Man Steam Railway.
Mr Guard described the truncated line as a ‘withered stump’ and noted passenger numbers had fallen from around 78,000 a year when the full route operated to roughly 45,000 today.
Highlighting the trams’ global significance, he said: ‘This year is the 150th anniversary of it… and instead of us having people from all around the world taking notice of it… we’re not going to have anything at all because all you’ve left us with is a withered stump of a tramway.’
He urged ministers to be held to account, contrasting delays on the tramway with other major capital projects, including investment in the Steam Packet Company, a new seawall, and brownfield developments.”
Mr Crookall confirmed that funds originally allocated to the project were previously used elsewhere under a prior administration but emphasised the current business case is under review and could lead to construction beginning within the next twelve months.”
A transcript from today's (February 24th) sitting of the Keys is reproduced as follows:
MR SPEAKER: Question 8. I call on The Hon Member for Castletown Mr Moorhouse.
MR MOORHOUSE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister for Infrastructure when the horse trams will be extended to the Sea Terminal, and he will make a statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Minister for Infrastructure to reply.
MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The business case on the Douglas Bay Horse Tram tramway is currently under review, and the Department intends to bring it to May Tynwald. If approved by Tynwald, it is anticipated that the project will commence within 12 months and is expected to take approximately 40 weeks.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Moorhouse,
MR MOORHOUSE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Minister, for that positive update. In terms of what's happening between now and the spades in the ground, is any work going to be taking place, or is it a matter of simply waiting for Tynwald to have their debate and going from that point? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Minister to reply.
MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE: It’s a case of waiting, Mr. Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Moorhouse.
MR MOORHOUSE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Minister. In terms of the gap we've got between the actual completion of the work and where we are today, concerns have been raised about, the lack of clarity in terms of the horse tramway has not been for the full length of the promenade. It's quite interesting that I've got an advert this morning that's been in a recent national newspaper from across, and they make reference specifically to, the journey on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway. In terms of that promotion. Getting that kind of clarity that we've only got a part service. Is anything being done to make sure that is actually out there and. people are aware of that situation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Minister to reply.
MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE: I have no idea, Mr. Speaker. I would imagine that that'seither come from somebody who's been over here and visited or somebody through … DfE and Visit Agency who have put an article in the paper, but I have no idea. The plan is if Tynwald decides to complete that as soon as possible, or whenever Tynwald decide.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Edge.
Ms EDGE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That advert is not new. It goes out every year and it's in a lot of the national papers. So and I think it's always said the Douglas Bay tramway. It doesn't distract because lots of visitors come. Can I ask the minister with regards to the extension where the grassed area is? Was there any foundation work carried out at the time by the Department to ensure that the tramway could go there in the future, were the plates put down or anything significant like that.
MR SPEAKER: Minister to reply.
MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE: Yes. Mr. Speaker, I'm led to believe there have been some preparation work done underneath that grassed area that leads up towards the other end of the war memorial.
MR SPEAKER: Doctor Heywood.
DR HEYWOOD: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to congratulate and thank the Minister for picking up on this piece of work, which I had done a fair amount to push forward on and to thank him for his commitment today to bringing that forward for Tynwald to make a decision. Can I just check with the Minister that the plans that he's working on also accommodate the changes that were proposed to the bus passenger facilities around that area, around the Sea Terminal at the end of the bottleneck car park.
MR SPEAKER: Minister to reply.
MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Those secret plans all link in together.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Moorhouse.
MR MOORHOUSE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With regard to the detail, how quickly will that be made available, especially areas like the cost tables? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Minister to reply.
MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE: In the usual way, Mr. Speaker. We will take it through the Department and then the council of ministers. Put a paper to council of ministers and then put it on the register of business for May Tynwald