Business case to restore line to the Sea Terminal appears on Register of Business
A business case for the reinstatement of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway along the full length of the promenade will go before Tynwald this month.
It has today (2 June) appeared on Register of Business, within half an hour of the deadline.
The Department of Infrastructure missed the deadline to bring it to the May sitting of the court, following delays with the capital funding request.
The line currently runs from Derby Castle to Broadway, halfway along the promenade.
The business case outlines three options; do nothing; extend the track to the War Memorial only; or fully reinstate the track to the Sea Terminal.
The final option - the recommended option - has long been called for by campaigners, and would fulfil a resolution passed by Tynwald in 2017.
In terms of costs, they've increased since the previous versions of the proposal and now stand at over £3 million (£3,036,170).
The chief engineer of Isle of Man Railways previously told Manx Radio the work would cost 'almost £2 million'.
In terms of timescale, it's expected works will be completed 40 weeks after commencement at the end of 2026, with completion set for 'the second half' of 2027.
"This investment does not make a return"
Summarising the business case, the Heritage Rail Division of the DOI says: "The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is significant to the Isle of Man for many reasons, historical, cultural and social.
"The iconic and unique horse trams are a key aspect of the Island’s identity.
"This business case does not seek to make a financial argument for this project; this investment does not make a return. It is, however, a case to fund a heritage tourist attraction."
Addressing the tramway's cultural and heritage value, it says: "The Douglas Bay Horse Tram service is a living museum, using original Victorian and Edwardian tramcars.
"The use of original rolling stock and the ongoing work to refurbish trams maintains the historical integrity of the Tramway."
Despite the warning that the tramway will not see a profit, Visit Isle of Man, an agency within the Department for Enterprise, has spoken in support of the full reinstatement plans.
It describes it as 'a significant commercial opportunity' for the visitor economy.
It says: "With a particular focus on growth of the cruise ship market and the general demographic of the more general visitor currently and the market development Visit is targeting to drive demand, Visit believes there would be a significant return on investment in both monetary terms and in terms of customer satisfaction."
When it appears before members at this month's sitting (16-18 June) the motion on the paper will read: 'That Tynwald notes the draft business case for the reinstatement of Douglas Bay Horse Tramway to the Sea Terminal and the likely cost of up to £3 million, and supports its progress through the capital project procedures in accordance with financial regulations.'
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