Isle of Man Bus Vannin services cut due to driver shortages

The services are likely to be reduced until the start of the school summer holidays

Temporary cuts to several bus services on the Isle of Man have been made due to an ongoing lack of drivers, Bus Vannin said.

The frequency of journeys on major routes to and from Douglas will be reduced with immediate effect, with some other services also being hit.

Government-owned Bus Vannin said high sickness rates and a UK-wide driver shortage had forced the changes.

The contingency timetable will run until schools break up for summer.

A Bus Vannin spokeswoman said this would create time to "finalise additional recruitment and training, as well as see a return to work for some staff".

Although the company said it regretted any inconvenience caused, the changes were necessary to "preserve a reliable network", she added.

Former Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall warned Bus Vannin was 12 drivers short going into the TT races due to sickness, resignations and retirements.

Under the revised Monday-to-Saturday timetable, buses between Douglas and the south of the island will run every 20 minutes rather than every 15 minutes.

Trips between the capital, Peel and Ramsey will also become less frequent, reduced from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes.

Some scheduled trips between Douglas and Onchan via Groudle will be axed as part of the change, along with various trips to the Sound via Cregneash, the Sloc, Niarbyl and Ballamodha.

Sunday schedules have not been affected.