The Infrastructure Minister has sought to allay the concerns of Foxdale residents, who feel transport links to the village aren’t good enough.

Nearly 600 people have signed an online petition calling for a regular bus service in the evenings. Currently the last bus passes through the town at 5.40pm.

Petitioners have highlighted the effect this has on children wishing to attend after school clubs, accessibility for certain business in Foxdale and on those commuting from Douglas.

Responding to a letter by one of the campaigners, Minister Ray Harmer, who’s also the constituency MHK for the area, said the department has limited financial resources, and a change in service is unlikely.

The Minister points to Bus Vannin’s passenger records which show the 19 seat buses which operate in the village ’are more than adequate for the actual demand’.

Mr Harmer argues that Foxdale has a ’similar level of service compared to other communities of its size’.

A trial of ’demand responsive transport’ where bus journeys are arranged via pre-booked requirements rather than fixed routes will begin in the north of the island shortly.

Pilot

The Infrastructure Minister says a similar system could help address concerns in Foxdale, but can’t make any promises until the pilot scheme is proven a success.

He will though ask Bus Vannin to review flexibility in the last bus for children attending school clubs.

The Foxdale resident who wrote the letter and started the petition, Emma Tapping, says it’s not case of a late bus being ’nice’ or ’handy’, but essential for those in the area.

She says the petitioners will continue with their campaign, stating they’re not out to cause a stir, but are simply asking for help.

You can view the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/isle-of-man-buses-later-buses-from-peel-douglas-via-foxdale.