Work on the delayed promenade scheme will not be finished by the end of March, the Infrastructure Minister has admitted.

Tim Baker was speaking on Manx Radio’s Mannin Line when he was asked to provide an update on the scheme.

Despite promises from Mr Baker and the DoI that the scaled down promenade scheme would be completed by March 31, it has been obvious for some time that this would not be the case.

Minutes from the My Prom board have painted a picture of delays caused by complications with the underground infrastructure, issues recruiting staff and cases of late ordering by the contractor.

Mr Baker has said the work is now likely to miss the March 31 deadline he and his department had previously promised and continue into the summer.

He said: ’That is still the contractual date that the contractor is working to but clearly it is not going to be March 31.

’We are still in the final discussions with the contractor around the programming of the remaining activity and we’re looking at something more towards to June I’d be suggesting, at this moment in time.’

This could see the scheme run into the TT, if the 2021 festival goes ahead as planned between May 29 and June 11. Although Chief Minister Howard Quayle said last week that discussions are ongoing for if and when next year’s races could be held.

Mr Baker recently told a Tynwald committee that the March 31 deadline had been ’ambitious’ and to deliver that had involved taking some items out of the scope of the original programme.

So far plans to complete the installation of the rail tracks to the sea terminal, finishing off the roundabouts and the installation of CCTV have all been kicked down the road in an attempt to get the work ’finished’ as soon as possible.