Bus Vannin has applied for a new licence to operate its dial-a-ride services.

Meanwhile, some scheduled services that were replaced by dial-a-ride in the north of the island are to be reintroduced.

Demand-responsive minibus services were introduced last year on a 12-month trial.

ConnectPorts was launched to collect passengers from their homes and take them to the airport, and connect with return flights at the end of the day.

ConnectVillages links villages in the north of the island as well as the Ramsey estates and has replaced many scheduled bus services. Journeys have to be booked in advance by 4pm the previous day.

ConnectPorts’s service licence expired on September 27. But the Road Transport Licensing Committee said an operator can continue to run on a service licence beyond the expiry date provided it has submitted an application for a new one.

A spokesman said: ’Applications to replace the service licence were received from Bus Vannin before the old licence expired.

’Therefore, Bus Vannin is allowed to continue operating under the old service licence until the new applications are disposed of.’

He said, however, the applications were ’not as complete as the committee had hoped’ and the applicant is being asked to provide further information.

’Once advertised, this information will be able to be scrutinised by potential objectors,’ he said.

ConnectPorts had a licence to operate across the island apart from the route from Douglas to the airport. But it was only operating in the north of the island and also Peel, Laxey, Baldrine and St John’s.

ConnectVillages’s service licence, meanwhile, expires on December 2. The RTLC said an application has been received along the same lines as the current one, but this too was not complete and more information was being requested.

The existing service licence allows Bus Vannin to operate the service north of the A3 road between Kirk Michael and the Ramsey town border, all of the town of Ramsey and Maughold parish.

Critics claim ConnectVillages has left communities like Jurby cut off.

Reintroduction

Now changes are being made to the ConnectVillages service which will see the reintroduction of some scheduled services to Jurby.

The move follows feedback from passengers and consultation through local MHKs.

From Monday November 4, minibuses will leave Jurby Bretney at 9.25am, 11.25am and 12.25pm, Jurby Threshold at 9.30am, 11.30am and 12.30pm and reach Ramsey at 10am, midday and 1pm.

The service will leave Ramsey bus station for Jurby at 9am, 11am and midday. All passengers waiting at the stops at these times will be collected and pre-booking will not be necessary.

The services will continue to be flexible and passengers can be collected from their homes along the way by contacting 697440 or www.bus.im/connect.

Standard fares will apply.

The minibuses will run Monday to Saturday, in addition to existing scheduled services arriving at the Jurby Threshold shelter at 6.55am, 8.15am, 9.02am, 2.52pm, 4.12pm, 4.27pm, 5.27pm, 6.22pm, 7.04pm, 9.02pm and 10.54pm Monday to Friday, and at 6.55am, 8.02am, 2.02pm, 5.27pm, 9.02pm and 10.54pm each Saturday.

Sunday services will remain unchanged.

Jason Moorhouse, member of the Department of Infrastructure with responsibility for public transport, said: ’ConnectVillages has proved popular with many.

’The need for some fixed scheduled services has been identified, however.

’These new flexi-services will not follow a fixed route, but customers will be able to rely on minibuses leaving Ramsey bus station, and the Bretney and Threshold stops in Jurby, at certain times.’