“The future of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway has been back in the spotlight in Tynwald, with members unanimously backing a move to bring forward detailed plans to restore the full length of the line.
But while the vote was unanimous, the debate around the tramway itself is far from settled.
The Department of Infrastructure will now be required to return to Tynwald with a full business case, funding request and implementation plan for reinstating the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway along the entire promenade.
The proposals are due to brought forward in May.
But critically, the vote does not mean the project itself has been approved.
Instead, it means members want to see the detail first - how it would work, how much it might cost, and how it would be delivered.
The horse trams are one of the Isle of Man’s most recognisable attractions.
First running in 1876, they’re widely regarded as the last remaining original horse-drawn tramway of their kind anywhere in the world.
Alongside the Manx Electric Railway and the Steam Railway, they form a key part of the Island’s Victorian transport heritage.
This year, they’re marking a major milestone - their 150th anniversary.
But despite that history, the tramway has become one of the Island’s most debated infrastructure projects, largely because at the moment, it doesn’t run its full historic route.
Originally, the line stretched around 1.6 miles from Derby Castle to the Sea Terminal.
Today, it stops short at Broadway, which had led to it being dubbed by some as the ‘halfway horse tramway’.
The southern section of the track was removed from the project during the redevelopment of Douglas Promenade.
Since then, the question of when it’ll be completed has remained unresolved.
Supporters of reinstating the full route argue the tramway is a unique global asset, and a key part of the Island’s tourism offering.
Figures given by historian Charles Guard suggested a significant drop in passenger numbers since the tramway stopped running to the Sea Terminal.
Similarly, for cruise passengers, the lack of a direct connection has been highlighted as a particular issue.
Against that backdrop, the Department of Infrastructure says it will now bring forward a full business case.
Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall told Tynwald more detail is on its way: LISTEN HERE
The motion was brought forward by Douglas South MHK Sarah Maltby.
She told Phil Gawne her aim is to finally move the issue forward: LISTEN HERE.
This is something that people really pay good money to come to the Island to see. They'll stand in the rain, the wind, the hail. They'll stand there and they'll take their photos. And they'll really appreciate what we have here. And I don't think sometimes that's always fully recognised as being a valuable asset to have.
There have already been several attempts to progress the reinstatement in recent years.
On more than one occasion, Tynwald has agreed in principle to extend the tramway back to the Sea Terminal.
However, the line has never been completed.
The DOI has previously confirmed that the full route won’t be ready in time for the tramway’s 150th anniversary in August.
Even if funding is approved, work is unlikely to begin until the winter.
So, while the vote was unanimous – the bigger decision still lies ahead.
In May, Tynwald will be asked to consider the full business case.
And only then will members decide whether the Island should - quite literally - go the full distance.”
The transcript from Sarah Maltby's Manx Radio interview is reproduced as follows:
Sarah Maltby MHK, Douglas South: Despite what many people might think, this administration actually hasn't discussed the horse trams, and we have been waiting for this business case and waiting for the capital funding request. So this isn't something that we have actually had a say in. And so it kickstarted that. And I think it was a really positive outcome unanimously supported today.
Phil Gawne, Manx Radio: And that's quite, well, quite surprising to me to learn that this iteration of Tynwald, since the last Key's election, this hasn't been discussed.
Sarah Maltby MHK, Douglas South: Yeah, it just surprised me too. But I suppose there has been a huge amount of things that we have had to deal with and to get through. You know, it's not been an easy administration, I think. And these sort of things kind of drift along and you kind of assume it's coming. We'll get that resolution. It'll it'll be coming forward. We've been told that by ministers. So it's not as if it's been blindly being led down some sort of garden path there. We have been told it was coming. It just hasn't ever got to the bit. And Mr. Guard made a video. It sparked within me a passion to say, right, this is this has gone on long enough now.
You really have had as many opportunities as we possibly could afford. We need to bring this into the public domain, because at the moment the public don't think that we care about this. And actually there are members in that court who really care about the heritage on the Isle of Man.
Phil Gawne, Manx Radio: There was some recognition, perhaps, in the debate that this is not a hard and fast business proposition. The business case isn't about the money. This is a heritage case. Is that fair?
Sarah Maltby MHK, Douglas South: Yeah, I do think it is fair. It is a heritage case, you know, predominantly. And of course it is. You know, it's the longest running heritage rail horse tramway in the world. You know, it's something that we should be really proud of. And what we need to remember is, is what we value and how people value what our heritage is. People have come from around the world to see this. Our heritage rails on the Island. They really value the Victorian infrastructure that we have here. This is not just something that we like to do because it's nostalgic.
This is something that people really pay good money to come to the Island to see. They'll stand in the rain, the wind, the hail. They'll stand there and they'll take their photos. And they'll really appreciate what we have here. And I don't think sometimes that's always fully recognised as being a valuable asset to have.