An Arbory and Rushen Commissioner said there is some ‘optimism’ about the Cregneash bus route being reinstated.

Jane Glover believes there’s a ‘considerable swell’ of people, not just residents in the south of the island, that would like the bus to return.

The route was discontinued from service after it was deemed not financially viable last summer, but the Infrastructure Minister Michelle Haywood has said her department will be looking at other options.

Mrs Glover said although there’s no time frame given for its reintroduction, Dr Haywood’s announcement is a ‘beacon of light’ for residents.

She added that it is ‘baffling’ the route to Niarbyl is still running, despite the cafe being closed for a couple of years.

Mrs Glover commented: ‘It's not just the residents [concerned about the closure of the bus], although this service does provide vital links for the people that live in that area. It's also the tourism trade.

‘If you go back to September of last year, we described the move as premature and madness before they'd actually consulted all the parties and the southern commissioners. They all believe that this route should be continued for the residents and for the tourists.

‘We find it a bit baffling that there are buses still going to Nairbyl, where the cafe is closed, and yet they're not going to the Sound Cafe, which is a bustling, popular destination.’

Back in September last year, Port Erin Commissioners stated that the removal of the service ‘goes against the Isle of Man Government’s strategy’.

The commissioners raised concerns that the time period of 365 days in the released data isn’t reflective of how the service has been used - which it believed is seasonally.

They also raised the fact that the figures did not include the use of ‘Go Cards’.