The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway may reach the Sea Terminal end of the promenade - but it might not be until 2023.

Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer confirmed in Tynwald the trams will reach the bottom of Broadway by the new completion date of Easter 2021, but that the rest of the line will likely have to wait.

Mr Harmer (pictured right) said the prom works can be ’finished’ by Easter 2021, however doing this will require government and its main contractor Auldyn to ’reduce the scope of the works’.

No major update has yet been provided on what reducing the scope means or which changes have been made to the scheme that was backed by Tynwald and planners before the much-delayed project began in September 2018.

It was originally due to be finished by October but the date had been put back to August 2021.

In Tynwald Mr Harmer noted that the roundabouts on the promenade will be constructed using ’more conventional’ road surfaces and that they will either be left in place or replaced with the intended blocks outside of the summer season.

The most stinging criticism for Mr Harmer and the scheme came from Daphne Caine (Garff) who said she would question: ’Is the minister and his department actually using the health emergency to cover up the complete failure of theirs to complete and progress the promenade in a timely manner?’

She added: ’Instead of getting the promenade completely done as the minister said, it would in fact not be completely done, if indeed there are no other motions or debates on the matter, until 2023.’

In response, Mr Harmer said: ’The due date for completing the prom was August 2021.

’As I said before, with the loss of at least two months, but in many respects, a lot more of that mobilisation time, we’ll be looking at a much extended programme.

’But worse than that, and I think this is what I would like to remind the honourable members, we will be working through the tourist season next year.

’What we are doing here, is saying "what bits can we complete now?" to get a really good finish so that the prom is in its best possible place in March 2021 and from them on look to complete those sections, with consultation with businesses and so forth, at the appropriate time.’

He said this is the correct approach and the alternative was to ’plough on’ and disrupt the 2021 tourist season.

Mr Harmer, in response to an emergency question from Kate Costain (Lib Vannin, Douglas South), said that he wanted to ’make sure there were no works on the prom that could hinder the opportunity for businesses in 2021’.

He added: ’In respect of the prom, I do not want to be putting cones outside a hotel from next Easter which will be a potential reboot of the tourist season. How could we do that to businesses that have struggled through a year of coronavirus related problems?’

Even before Covid-19 hit the island, prom businesses had shut down and others have been critical of the regeneration works, which were due to be completed by October 2020.

Scheduling

Mr Harmer said Tynwald members ’seemed’ to be in agreement with the changes after he briefed them during a private meetings for members.

However, Miss Costain said she was ’surprised’ he would think a private briefing constituted Tynwald agreement, adding: ’This is about more than just the promenade, this is about democracy and Tynwald having supremacy.

’Ministers cannot just do what they feel they want to do based on a private briefing that was giving members an indication of a possibility.’

In response, Mr Harmer said there was a ’major need to get the prom done’ and the changes were about ’scheduling’.

Lawrie Hooper (Lib Vannin, Ramsey), asked Mr Harmer if he thought the scheme should be reviewed to determine if it was still fit for purpose.

Mr Harmer said: ’There has been so much debate and that’s why I don’t think it’s right to open another debate that could cause more delay and confusion. At this point, everybody just wants to get the prom done.’

â?¢ Parking enforcement will resume in the capital today (Thursday).

In an update on the My Prom website it warns: ’To avoid a £60 fixed penalty notice, please ensure that your vehicle road tax is valid, do not park in restricted areas such as loading bays, bus stops, pedestrian zones and cycle ways. Do not park in service lanes or on pavements - remember to purchase a valid parking ticket when using pay and display car parks such as the Tongue and Parade Street East