No current funding for TT access road scheme, says minister

The access road runs between Douglas and Braddan

Funding is not currently available to progress proposals to improve an access road used during the Isle of Man TT, the infrastructure minister has said.

Six options were drawn up in 2020 to allow traffic flow between Douglas and Braddan during road closures.

However, Chris Thomas said the plans had not moved beyond the conceptual design phase since then.

When quizzed about the progress he said the cost was "beyond realistic expectations of current financing".

The options included an underpass from St Ninian's crossroads, a flyover from Saddle Road, or the widening of the existing route, which runs under Braddan Bridge.

The current route runs along the heritage trail between Douglas and Braddan, allowing access to some homes on the inside of the TT course and Noble's Hospital.

'Substantial cost'

Mr Thomas, who was appointed infrastructure minister in June, was quizzed in the House of Keys by Douglas North MHK David Ashford over progress with improving the road, which was opened in 1995.

Mr Ashford said: "We've been hoping for progress for over two decades now, and it's a very fine line between when hope turns to despair and exasperation.

"It's all well and good having conceptual designs, but there's no point having conceptual designs if the concept's never going to go anywhere."

However, Mr Thomas said: "The budget elements involved are a substantial cost and are completely beyond realistic expectations of current financing.

"We don't have any budget for site investigation and feasibility studies of this sort of scale beyond what we've already done."

Responding to a call to review the plans, Mr Thomas said the existing design options would be outlined by officers at a future policy and strategy meeting so that he and his political team could better understand the previous work undertaken.