Bus Vannin has received another Christmas present at the taxpayers’ expense - 11 brand new minibuses.

The Mercedes Sprinters were delivered to Banks Circus depot this month and are currently awaiting registration plates.

They will join a fleet of 67 minibuses, 12 used for ConnectVillages dial-a-ride services, which are maintained in the workshop at Bank’s Circus.

The Department of Infrastructure said the 11 new vehicles were part of the general fleet replacement plan for older minibuses used across government.

All will be operated for the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

None are equipped to operate ConnectVillages.

Three are intended for the DHSC’s Tall Trees adult training centre, four for patient transport and four for DHSC day centre and DESC special needs transport.

A spokesman for DoI said: ’The department remains committed to providing safe and reliable transport for those whose circumstances mean that they need assistance to access important support services provided by the DHSC and the DESC.

’These replacement vehicles will help us deliver that commitment so that government can continue to support the people of the island.’

The department has not revealed how much has been spent on the 11 new vehicles.

But a Freedom of Information request in 2018 established that the 19 Mercedes Sprinters purchased by that date had cost between £56,960 and £86,975 each.

And the DoI confirmed in October this year that just under £2m has been spent on new minibuses in the past five years.

A total of £323,340 was spent on purchasing minibuses in 2015-16, £455,680 the following year, £349,650 in 2017-18, £345,528 in 2018-2019 and £473,797 in 2019-20 - making a total of £1,947,995.

Minibuses are used for dial-a-ride services, patient transfer and educational transport. Others are used by care homes, civil defence, police, probation and the fire service.

Another FoI request, this time submitted by Isle of Man Newspapers, has revealed that a number of the minibuses in the fleet have very low mileages.

One vehicle purchased in 2016, fleet number 715, had just 5,414 miles on the clock.

The OFT launched a preliminary investigation earlier this year into claims that dial-a-ride is competing unfairly against the taxi trade.

ConnectVillages was launched as a 12-month trial in December 2018, with pre-booked minibuses replacing some scheduled bus services in the north of the island.

Following concerns raised by residents and MHKs, minibus services running to set times were introduced.

Infrastructure Tim Baker told Tynwald members that a review of Bus Vannin and dial-a-ride is under way.