Criticism of scrapping of bus route to beauty spot

The number 28 route formerly serviced the Sound and Cregneash from Port Erin

An application to scrap a bus route that services a key heritage site in the south of the Isle of Man has been described as "madness" by a local authority member.

Earlier this month Arbory and Rushen Commissioners voted to object to the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) decision to stop the route from Port Erin to the Sound.

The department said it was not viable due to "demanding" budgetary targets, but commissioner Jane Glover said there were several "unexplored opportunities to retain the service".

They included advertising the route "in the right way", connecting it to other journeys or train services or providing a minibus service to the Sound, she said.

It was "premature" for the Road Traffic Licencing Committee (RTLC) to consider the move, she argued.

'Greater connectivity'

The service was "vital" for the restaurant at the Sound, which was now experiencing staffing issues as people could not get there, and the authority had been contacted by a number of "disgruntled residents", Glover said.

The move contradicted the local economy strategy, which called for "greater connectivity for local businesses", and the decision seemed like "madness" as the Sound was an "integral" tourist site, she added.

Another option that Glover proposed was that the DOI applied for funding from the local economy fund, which among other goals, aims to help reduce barriers to business.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall previously said that 929 passengers had used the weekday-only 2023 route compared to 3,202 who took advantage of the six-day service run in 2019.

The daily cost of running the route was in excess of £220 against the £33 in revenue taken each day, he added.

While submissions to the RTLC have been made, the board of Arbory and Rushen Commissioners has requested the application be deferred for "meaningful conversations" to take place between the DOI and affected parties.