The Infrastructure Minister has distanced the department from plans which could see a key route in Castletown made one-way.

Building work on Derby House requiring scaffolding would see the change brought in on Castle Street for a year for north-bound traffic.

Although it is narrow in places, the road is currently open to two-way traffic, including buses.

Tim Baker spoke after the potential road closure was announced, insisting the work was not directly linked to the department.

Mr Baker said: ’This is not a Department of Infrastructure scheme, this is a private sector developer who is doing some renovations to their property. It has nothing to do with the department.

’What we have to do is to make sure that if somebody is going to do some work, it is safe, and one of the ways of doing that is to make it a one-way system. Which obviously is not good news for car drivers. It is also not good news for the department’s own bus services.

’This is a problem we are [going to have to] manage in the same way as anybody else trying to get in and out of Castletown.’

When asked about the subsequent potential impact on bus routes, Mr Baker added: ’The south to Douglas service is our most used service and this is going to add difficulty and is a problem that is going to have to managed if the road closure is deemed to be required.’

Drivers wishing to reach Castletown Square from the harbour would be diverted via the bypass road and Arbory Road.

A consultation was opened by the DoI last week and will close June 18.