It really does seem that there are some on the Isle of Man who really do want to get rid of the Douglas Horse Tramway forever with Tynwald now being asked to proceed with the plans for the Promenade redevelopment works with no provision at all for the trams until their future is secured. The motion was proposed by Leonard Singer, MHK for Ramsey, and was due to be heard during the sitting of Tynwald on 19th April.
The motion proposed reads: “That Tynwald is of the opinion that until the long term future of the Douglas Horse Trams is secured, no plans for the Promenade or its walkway should be drawn up which include the horse trams.” So in effect Mr Singer MHK is suggesting that the plans for redeveloping the Prom should be progressed but with no consideration of putting in the tram lines. The trouble with this is that if the plans go-ahead with no trams considered the chances of them ever being put back in seem very remote – especially considering the way bureaucracy seems to be ruling the day on the Isle of Man currently.
The Friends of Douglas Bay Horse Tramway are obviously against this idea commenting in a statement: “We are of the opinion that the future layout of the Promenade needs to be considered hand-in-hand with the future of the Tramway, not separately. The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway forms an intrinsic part of the character, history and culture of the Promenades. Approving this motion would add yet another layer of unnecessary complication and bureaucracy to the situation. We would encourage the engagement of the various stakeholders of Douglas Promenade in a simple and effective scheme to progress the much needed refurbishment work as quickly as possible. Much as was proposed under the 2012 scheme for the Promenades before that scheme was shelved.”
It seems ironic that the MHK for Ramsey, Leonard Singer, is effectively attempting a demolition job further down the coast in Douglas doesn’t it!
Many years ago allegedly members retiring from India to relocate in Ramsey after 1948 did their best to get into positions of power and effectively close down Ramsey from the thriving seaside resort it was to what it later became before its much more recent ‘revival’.
Surely people should be aware of this and stop the destruction of what the IOM is loved and famous for.
This proposal looks suspiciously like an attempt to remove the trams by default, so then anyone who complains once the tramway has been destroyed can be told that it happened because the tram operator could not comply with some (undefined) long-term objectives. Those who want to destroy the tramway should come clean and say what their real objective is. In the past, this kind of approach was so often used in mainland Britain as a successful pretext to destroy tram and trolleybus operation.
Objection to Planning Application 16/00379/B
The Horse Tramway is a unique heritage of this Island. This tramway, the Manx Electric Railway and the Isle of Man Steam Railway are worthy of World Heritage status. Particularly, the Horse Tramway in Douglas is the last remaining example in the world of this form of transport, and as such is worth preserving as a working museum. The Horse Tramway is part of an integrated transport system within the Island.
MY OBJECTIONS
1. Horse Tramway
There is no provision to run the Horse Tramway along Loch Prom from Villa Marina in this Planning Application. I believe this is wrong because:
1. The Horse Tramway is a Gateway to the Island.
2. The Sea Terminal end is important because it is close to main transport links such as ferries, steam railway, buses and also near main shopping centre.
3. It is an important link between Sea Terminal and the Manx Electric Railway.
It is a unique heritage horse tramway within a unique heritage rail network. and removing the tramway makes it less visible and accessible and would discourage potential passengers from using it. The Horse Tramway should be retained along the whole promenade length as part of an integrated tourist and resident attraction.
The Horse tramway is an asset to the Isle of Man, Heritage and Tourism, has the potential for World Heritage Status, and attracts many transport enthusiasts worldwide.
*** Alteration to a Conservation Area ***
There is no provision in this Planning Application to run horse trams on Harris Promenade, south from Villa Marina. The whole of Douglas Promenade is designated a conservation area, this includes the Horse Tramway which gives it its special character. This is set out in ‘The Douglas Promenades Conservation Area Order 2002’ Town and Country Planning Act 1991. Removal of a large section of the Horse Tramway on the Promenade directly contravenes this order and will be detrimental to the character of the Conservation area.
There is a need to consider the Entire Promenade, not two halves. If this first phase is completed, the question arises will there be the funds or the will to complete the remainder of the promenade in the same style? Where does this leave the horse tramway?
*** Loss of Amenity ***
The Horse Tramway is a unique Vintage horse drawn tramway, the only one of its kind in the world and a Vintage Railway unique to the Isle of Man. It has operated along Douglas Promenade for 140 years. It is a unique amenity in Douglas for locals and visitors to enjoy in the summer months. The proposals to remove the horse tram tracks from the road on Loch Prom will have a detrimental effect to this amenity. A truncated service would lead to it becoming less attractive to prospective passengers and lead to reduced usage and consequent additional loss of revenue.
*** Safety Concerns ***
The Horse Tramway has a good safety record. Removing it from Harris Promenade because of safety concerns with users or traffic is unfounded. DEFA have not produced any safety statistics or risk assessment in their Planning Application to support this safety case.