Bus cancellations and delays due to driver shortages are causing problems as more than 35,000 people visit the island for the TT.

Problems started before the event but many services are still being cancelled during the TT fortnight and are suffering serious delays.

Bus Vannin said on June 1 that while around 20 services were subject to change, delay or cancellation the previous day, it only represented a small proportion of the daily total and more than 600 were completed in line with the current timetable.

It said: ‘At present Bus Vannin is operating around 95% of scheduled services.’

The last update made on the cause of the cancellations was last month when Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall told the House of Keys that it was illness and injuries and Bus Vannin was constantly nine to 12 drivers short.

He apologised and said the Department of Infrastructure would be assessing the need for all bus services across the island during its ‘all-island review’.

‘If we’ve got too many services on, we’ll look at that,’ he said.

Isle of Man Transport has stopped updating bus users with cancellations on social media and is asking them to keep an eye on the bus tracking website.

Until May 31, the organisation was frequently updating its page with all bus delays and cancellations but has since opted to asking customers to use its website findmybus.im to keep track instead.

A spokesperson said: ‘During the TT period, Isle of Man Transport manages unique disruptions including diversions, road closures, weather disruption, road traffic collisions, and congestion, to name a few.

‘Drivers are supported by the bus supervisors and manage these disruptions. It is a very fluid operation and putting out alterations does not work during this time, as within minutes things change and the wrong information is given,’ the spokesperson said.

‘Therefore during this peak period we are recommending customers use findmybus.im, call 662525 or visit one of our information points for the most up to date information.

‘The whole team are working extremely hard over this period, including delivering duplicated services over the past week to support demand.

‘For example, on Sunday, May 29, we carried 6,457 passengers and Mad Sunday we carried 20,365 passengers.’

abuse

Meanwhile, Bus Vannin has also said its staff have been subjected to abuse from customers.

Isle of Man Transport said: ‘Bus Vannin advises customers that it is working extremely hard to maintain as comprehensive a service as possible.

‘During this peak period and the continued staffing issues Bus Vannin aims to provide reassurance that core services will remain a priority.

‘The opportunity is also being taken to remind customers to please treat our hard working staff with respect after some have been subjected to bad language and abuse.’

When asked for the number of bus services that have been cancelled so far during the TT period, Isle of Man Transport said that during peak periods such as TT, these numbers ‘are impossible to get’ as the team is focused on ‘either running the extra services or at information points around the island helping customers’.

It said it will share the information after TT.

The core services that will continue to be served as a priority include night owl services, commuter services, TT spectator specials and hospital services.

Bus Vannin, which is owned by the state, added that in previous TT fortnights it has experienced up to 15 minutes delays on services due to road congestion, which it has expected this year.