Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer was stuck for ideas this week about how to combat quarterpounder queues at the Quarterbridge.

He made an unhappy meal of trying to come up with suggestions after being asked what could be done to prevent traffic jams around McDonald’s in Peel Road, Douglas.

It was only when Speaker Juan Watterson suggested that demanding better parking provision at any future outlets proposed that a solution was forthcoming.

Bill Shimmins (Middle) had initially asked what measures the minister in charge of roads was taking to combat congestion ’caused by fast food outlets in Peel Road’.

Mr Harmer began by explaining that congestion ’results from an imbalance between, on the one hand, the operating practices of the business, including the availability of car parking and customer queue management, and on the other hand, the arrival and departure patterns of customers’.

He added: ’Where this congestion spills back on to Peel Road, especially during peak periods such as weekday evenings or Saturday lunch times, it is reasonable to expect that vehicle drivers will experience some delay.

’Unfortunately, due to the width and layout of the road there is little action that can be taken in terms of road engineering.’

Mr Harmer did offer one glimmer of hope, although it wasn’t really coming from his department.

The minister said: ’It is possible that future proposed developments of other food outlets in the area will change the traffic patterns and the congestion on Peel Road will be alleviated then.’

An incredulous Mr Shimmins asked: ’Is he really saying that there are no practical measures at his disposal which could alleviate this congestion?’

Mr Harmer’s response was the road was ’narrow at that point’ and the DoI was limited in what it could do without ’huge, massive engineering’.

A planning application has been submitted for KFC and Starbucks to open sit-in and drive-through outlets on the former Eurocars site, nearby.

Mr Watterson gave food for thought when he ventured the minister could examine what guidance is given with regards to parking and the space for drive-throughs during any future planning decisions on similar developments.

Mr Harmer relished the suggestion, saying Mr Watterson was ’absolutely right’ they should be among the considerations and that future traffic flows should also be in the mix.

Meanwhile, following a separate question from Mr Shimmins, Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Geoffrey Boot declined to comment on whether he supported the application for more fast food outlets in Peel Road.

He pointed out that as he was the minister in charge of planning, it would be wrong to discuss a matter under consideration.