The Prom scheme has proved catastrophic for some Prom businesses - and there is still confusion over elements of the scheme, Tynwald heard.

A scrutiny committee report on the £25m project has highlighted concerns over funding, miscommunication and latest plans for a second phase of the works.

In a general debate on the report, Daphne Caine (Garff) said: ’We all appreciate the scale of the project and the uncovered, unknown issues.

’But the report doesn’t get us further forward really other than to highlight the incompetence of the project management, the department’s inability to estimate the cost of any project bigger than making a cup of tea.

’There’s confusion about where the tramway will get to by March next year.’

Committee chairman Clare Barber said: ’The economic impact of the scheme is huge. I’m not sure anyone realised quite how catastrophic this scheme would prove to be for some businesses.’

She said: ’The Promenade saga has seemingly become now the story of two halves, a tale of two cities perhaps - the best of times, the worst of times.

’For each thing the DoI do there is a counter-effect.

’The piece that has often being missing is the proactive review of how those counter-effects might affect businesses and residents and the placement of mitigation measures which have often been reactive.’

She welcomed the Infrastructure Minister’s commitment to completing the scheme in the winter 2021 when the Loch Promenade tram track will be laid and the roundals will be cast in granite as initially envisaged.

She said the committee recognised this would cause additional disruption.

Covid has forced businesses to become more delivery-focused but deliveries were becoming a problematic due to Church Road Marina, Broadway and Summer Hill all being closed at the same time.

Mrs Barber said Prom businesses were facing consecutive winters of disruption, starting in 2018 with the only respite having come from Covid-19.

Infrastructure Minster Tim Baker said: ’I don’t take the implications of this scheme lightly. It has had a big impact and it has gone on for a long time.

’Clearly businesses on the Prom are struggling and a significant amount of that is due to disruption from the scheme.

’I do believe come the end of it we will have a proud and fantastic gateway to our island.

’We knew it wouldn’t be easy but the end result will be worth all the pain.

’We’ve got a date we are all shooting for here. March 31 is the date and it is going to be delivered.’

Mr Baker said he was ’totally committed’ to complete the tramline to the Sea Terminal. ’Yes, the costings still need to be finalised but we’ve committed that they will be done within the budgets which department already has.’