Tramline issues push end of Douglas promenade revamp into 2022

Defects have been found in the rail points in the area of Broadway

The redevelopment of Douglas Promenade will not be finished until 2022 due to problems with the new horse tramlines, the infrastructure minister has said.

Tim Crookall told the House of Keys issues had been found with the rail points installed near Broadway.

The delay would push the end of the £26m project into January "at the least", but it was "impossible" to give an exact completion date, he added.

Started in 2018, the promenade revamp has been hit with repeated delays.

Accountability

Mr Crookall, who was appointed minister earlier this month, said rail points at the oval roundabout at Broadway had to be replaced after concerns were raised by a regulator.

He confirmed that they had now been sent to be "modified in a UK factory" in a process that would take "three to four weeks" before they could be returned and reinstalled.

The end date would "be into next year for sure, into January at least", he said, adding: "I regret to say that but it is not fair to keep putting a date on it".

Speaking after the sitting, Mr Crookall said he was not sure who was responsible for the faulty rail points at this time, but insisted the scheme's main contractor Auldyn Construction had been "doing their very best".

"Accountability will go on after the job is finished because the final bill will not be settled until everything between us and the contractor has been sorted out," he added.