image source, IOM transport
Manx Electric Railway celebrates its 130th anniversary in 2023
Securing the value of the Isle of Man’s historic railways requires a 15-year strategy, a report has found.
The recommendations are one of 13 published in an independent report by engineering consultant Systra.
The review said there were ideas about how to develop the 150-year-old network, but “a clear and unified vision is lacking”.
This review was set out to consider steam railways, Manx electric railways and horse-drawn carriages.
Overall, it found that the railway “continued to make positive progress” despite the challenges posed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
The tram tracks currently only run as far as Villa Marina on Broadway.
The report says there is a “clear strategic case” for reviving the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, which runs the length of the Douglas Promenade, but that this would require “a significant increase in passenger numbers to avoid further increases in subsidies”. He said there is.
However, the company said the Sea Terminal could be used as part of the railway’s visitor facilities “prior to investing in facilities at Derby Castle”.
The paper said introducing a commuter train service between Ramsey and the capital on Manx Electric Railway would likely have “low marginal costs” and “positive value for money”.
Introducing two morning and two evening flights would require 88 passengers per flight to be profitable, which the report said was “ambitious” and “plausible”.
Changes to the point at Derby Castle to allow electric trams to travel further into Douglas town center could also be linked to this, the newspaper said.
This review focused on the island’s traditional transport systems, including the 150-year-old Isle of Man Steam Railway.
In examining the overall economic impact of historic railways, consultants found that for every £1 spent on grants and capital investment, there was an economic benefit of £2.88.
It also recommended that annual spending be reduced from £5m to around £2.5m in 2023, followed by an increase in capital investment in the “short term” to allow the track renewal program to be completed.
Sistola said the rail strategy is needed to “further improve the tourist experience, with the ultimate goal of increasing revenue and ridership.”
Other recommendations include establishing a board of directors to oversee the management of the network, establishing better communication between tourism operators, reviewing the cost of Go Explore tickets on all trains and making “urgent” improvements to the railways. I did. “Digital Marketing”.
Infrastructure Minister Tim Kruall said the report would provide the department with a “solid foundation to understand the current state of rail and plan for future development”.
