Tynwald have voted to retain the full length of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway following the latest debate which took place on Tuesday 17th January. Double track will be replaced between Derby Castle and Broadway with a single track line from there through to the current Sea Terminal terminus.
The Department of Infrastructure had previously been recommending that there should be double tracks between Derby Castle and Broadway but there would only be a “tramway corridor” provided to the Sea Terminal for future relaying although no guarantee this future would ever come. However ahead of the debate an amendment was tabled by Chris Robertshaw, Douglas Central MHK, for a single track to be laid on the road from Broadway to the Sea Terminal in the roadway.
Ray Harmer, Infrastructure Minister, had said that the amendment was totally unnecessary as they were providing for the so-called tramway corridor in the future. However the amendment should give the guarantee that the full length will be retained (although the way Isle of Man politics seems to go it wouldn’t surprise us if there wasn’t another vote in the future as they change their minds once again!) The final vote saw the amended motion approved with 17 for and 14 against.
Hopefully this is now a final decision and the much needed redevelopment of Douglas Promenade can go-ahead so that for years to come the people of not only the Isle of Man but also tourists can enjoy the historic and unique Douglas Bay Horse Tramway.
Once further information is revealed about the detailed plans and a timetable of the relaying and redevelopment is announced we will bring you the news on British Trams Online.
Fantastic news. Hope it does go ahead and that this is the end of speculation as to the future of this historic tramway once and for all.
That Great News
A sensible decision in the Tramway world at last.
This might not be the ‘victory’ it seems, there is no place for complacency.
Fantastic news, and good decision long may the tramways last.