The future of the Douglas Horse Tramway and just where the tracks should be going forward never seems to be far from the news on the Isle of Man and the latest instalment of this apparent never ending saga has seen the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) confirm that they fully intend to move the tramway off the road and onto the Promenade walkway – a move which is bound to cause controversy.
The Horse Tramway has run along the centre of the Promenade road for 139 years – although admittedly when it first ran there wasn’t as much traffic about as there is today! – but with major reconstruction works now required the chance is to be taken to move the line and as far as the DoI are concerned the walkway is the best place for it.
Phil Gawne MHK, Infrastructure Minister, said: “The Department has assessed a vast range of redevelopment options and listened to feedback from the public, businesses and special interest groups. We believe our preferred design represents the best long-term solution to create an improved economic, cultural and social environment. People feel passionately about the horse trams, both for and against, and the location of the tracks has generated a lot of discussion. We have spoken to the operators of the horse trams about various issues and believe the trams can be safely operated in their proposed new location. This option will also enable us to minimise disruption to the horse tram service, to enhance pedestrian movements between the retail area and the Promenade, to improve the general appearance of the Promenade and maximise available on-street car parking.”
It is proposed that the tramway will run from the Sea Terminal to Strathallan along a mainly single line which will be situated on the edge of the Promenade walkway. It has been decided that this is the best option as it removes the safety problems of passengers boarding and alighting in the middle of the road and despite many feeling that it brings new safety issues the DoI believe that these are not as serious as has been made out. If the tramway did remain in the centre of the road it would be likely that no horse trams would be able to run for five years!
The Department are now going to submit amended planning drawings which incorporate a single horse tram track located almost entirely where the pavement currently runs adjacent to the road along Harris, Central and Queen’s Promenades. This is said to increase the area of the walkway by approximately 2,700 square metres, inclusive of the tram corridor.
Obviously there are still going to be many who are unhappy with the fact the department are determined to go ahead with these plans both those who want to keep the status quo and those who want to see the horse trams gone for good. But hopefully we have now reached a final outcome and work can start as soon as possible so the finger of uncertainty is no longer hanging over the horse tramway. It is not known what this might mean for the 2016 operating season but at the very least it is likely to mean reduced operations if any trams run at all.
* The Friends of Douglas Bay Horse Tramway have just launched a brand new website at http://www.friendsofdbht.org/. The independent volunteer community group was established in September 2014 to help promote and support the continued operation of the tramway and their website provides information on the tramway, trams, horses and much more. They also have a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/friendsofdbht with regular updates from the tramway.
If the horse trams are moved on to the Promenade Walkway, and if I read this as meaning the SEAWARD side of the promenade, then this is going to reduce the numbers travelling except in perfect weather, which is – frankly – a rare occurrence. If the trams must be moved, let them be moved to the more sheltered, inner side of the roadway.
The article does not state which side of the promenade it will run but the road side would be better as the public will want to walk beside the seaward side railings. I am sure the DOI have looked into this and it dose not matter if it is good or bad weather because the tramway has cars for all occasions. If John spent as much time across as I do he will see that the weather is usually quite good.
I am surprised at the amount of people who want to get rid of this heritage system as it is the last tramway on Mann.
The intention, as I understand it, is that the new single line will run on the promenade walkway, on the side nearest the roadway, i.e., furthest from the sea.
I don’t understand David T’s use of the phrase “..the last tramway on Mann” – whilst the MER is properly an electric railway, most people regard it as a tramway in all but name.
Both the Manx Electric railway and the Snaefell Mountain Railway run on their own reserved track and only cross the roads at level crossings. The trams are railcars towing trailers. If you wish to call them trams by all means do so but a rose by any other name is still a rose. there are people in England who call intercity 125 trains, trams and that seems to make them happy. The clue is in the title, ‘RAILWAY’
Actually David is right, the horse TRAMWAY is the last tramway on Mann. The Manx Electric is neither a Tramway or a railway (although it has elements of both) it is actually the original of the Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad, so I would argue the MER is also a Tramroad which in law used to be different to both Tramways and Railways.
The MER is an interurban electric railway, but the vehicles that run on it are definitely trams.
Anyway, as for the horse tramway, it’s sad that they’re moving it but remember some people wanted it closed altogether! I’d much rather they kept it where it is and just resurfaced the road, and I’m confused to why this is apparently not an option (?), but I suppose if the only alternative is closure, so be it.
I’ve read somewhere that the rails need renewing so it appears not to be just a case of resurfacing the road. I don’t know when the rails were last renewed.
There’s some life left in the existing rails, but a good number of sections are now 50+ years old although around the Strathallan terminus some relay work was done in the early 1980’s! The option to just repair the road foundations and re-surface it using the existing rails was considered at a cost of £10.75 million, but with limited life expectancy of the rails didn’t make sense. To relay a twin track with new heavier section rail would increase that price by £1.5 million.