More money to be sought for Isle of Man road repairs

About £14m was spent on road maintenance between 2019 and 2021

More money for road repairs on the Isle of Man will be requested in 2022, the infrastructure minister has said.

Tim Crookall told Tynwald about £14m had been spent on routine maintenance since 2019, while £40m had been collected in vehicle duty.

He confirmed his department would bid "for an increase in our budget so that we can do more works on the roads".

Bill Henderson MLC said a review of road maintenance was "thoroughly required".

He said the review should make "special reference" to the "crumbling arterial routes into Douglas, which is our main business centre and main populous area of the Isle of Man".

'Disproportionate tax burden'

Mr Crookall said a further £14m in capital spending had also been allocated for "overlaying, surface dressing and micro-asphalting", which could be "classified as maintenance as well".

Criticising the amount vehicle users paid in vehicle and fuel duty, Stu Peters MHK said drivers faced a "disproportionate tax burden".

"More of it needs to be spent on improving our road network, especially existing roads that have become compromised by increased traffic from new housing developments," he added.

Mr Crookall said his department could "probably spend as much as we could get hold of in the next... five years to repair the roads and the infrastructure round the island".

He added that "finance and staff permitting", it was hoped more could be done to maintain the island's road network in future.