"Halfway Horse Tram" not the only problem on the prom, says council leader

Devon Watson hits out at state of the "gateway to the Island"

Douglas Council says it's 'disappointed' that the horse trams are not operating along the full length of the promenade, and it's not the only issue causing ire in the local authority.

Regarding the horse trams, despite Tynwald approving funding back in 2017 to reinstate the full route from Derby Castle to the Sea Terminal, the service currently runs only as far as Broadway.

The council says: "First introduced in 1876, the horse tram service is widely recognised as the last surviving original horse-drawn tramway of its kind anywhere in the world. 

"Together with the Manx Electric Railway and the Isle of Man Steam Railway, it forms a central part of the Island’s unique Victorian transport heritage and plays a vital role in supporting tourism and cultural identity."

The local authority says the full reinstatement is both a 'symbolic and practical priority' in what is the tramway's 150th year. 

It argues that having the service run along the entire promenade would strengthen Douglas’s appeal as a visitor destination and 'safeguard a globally significant piece of living heritage for future generations'.

Douglas Council stopped running the horse tram service in 2016, claiming it was no longer financially viable.

The Department of Infrastructure subsequently took over operations saying the purchase formed part of plans to "retain the island's heritage infrastructure".

Now, Douglas Council wants Tynwald to reaffirm its 2017 commitment and deliver the long-promised completion of the scheme without further delay.

Back in March, the Department of Infrastructure was tasked with returning to Tynwald with a business case for the full line.

Read more HERE.

The business case has missed the deadline for inclusion on the the order paper.

Subsequently, it will not appear on May's 'main' order paper.

The only way for it to be debated this month will be if special permission is sought from the President of Tynwald, who may request the creation of a supplementary order paper.

"Broken railings, a patchy walkway, and incomplete sea defences"

Meanwhile, the leader of Douglas Council has told Manx Radio that the issue with the so-called "Halfway Horse Tram" is indicative of a wider issue affecting the promenade.

Devon Watson told Manx Radio that a "mismatch of governance" is leading to parts of the coastal route appearing "dilapidated and broken down".

Following recent storm damage to the Sunken Gardens, the Chair of the council's Regeneration Committee, Natalie Byron-Teare, argued the Department of Infrastructure's sea wall should be extended to that end of the promenade which she says is 'most affected' by coastal overtopping and high tides. 

Mr Watson echoes these remarks, saying the 'incomplete' sea wall is having an impact on both private and public sector investment in the promenade itself:

The Department of Infrastructure has been invited to respond.