A limited service will resume of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway from Wednesday 24th May, Isle of Man Transport have confirmed. All services had been suspended on 10th May following the discovery a number of horses were experiencing a respiratory issue but after treatment a service will be able to resume.
Ray Cox, from Milan Vets, who has been treating the horses and providing advice to Isle of Man Transport, commented: “The infection was confirmed as Streptococcus zooepidemicus, which is relatively common among horses. They have reacted well to the course of treatment and I am happy with their recovery. Together with Isle of Man Railways, we have taken the decision to ease the horses back into service on a limited schedule to assist their continued return to full health.”
Trams will run between 1000 and 1600 only from Wednesday 24th May for approximately one week before a further assessment into when full services will be able to resume.
Ian Bates, Head of Public Transport Operations at Isle of Man Transport, said: “We wish to thank our customers for their patience during the temporary suspension. The welfare of the horses is always our primary concern. We are working to provide normal services as soon as practically possible and look forward to a successful summer season for the horse trams.”