Support for major expenditure on MER

Tynwald has voted in favour of spending £5 million to ensure the Manx Electric Railway line between Laxey and Ramsey is operational for at least half the summer season.

An extra item was added to the end of the normal agenda by Tourism Minister Adrian Earnshaw.

He told members his department had managed to produce a scheme in just three weeks which will enable the stretch to reopen from July, but only one of the tracks will operate.

He said the new track would be available by April, having previously told the House of Keys it would take 20 weeks .

Mr Earnshaw warned the Court more money would be needed to restore other parts of the line (audio file attached):

(Picture: An MER tram, from manxscenes.com).