Transport chiefs have been forced into a u-turn on a new bus timetable before it has even come into use.

Bus Vannin is introducing the revised timetable across the island from Monday (March 2).

Proposed changes to services around Jurby and other parts of the north had seen some scheduled journeys dropped on non-school days with passengers having to plan ahead and use dial-a-ride minibuses.

However, after pressure from passengers and MHKs, and after residents spoke to the Manx Independent, transport chiefs have been forced into a rethink for buses in the north of the island.

The Department of Infrastructure has now agreed to extend its set times Connect Villages services to Jurby to ’provide more opportunities for residents to make journeys without having to pre-book’.

The revised timetable will show these as new Connect Villages Flex services operating throughout the year.

On school days these services will leave Ramsey at 9am, 11am, 2pm and 6.40pm, returning from Jurby half an hour later in each case.

During school holidays and on Saturdays there will be additional Connect Villages Flex services leaving Ramsey at 6.30am and 4pm, again returning from Jurby half an hour later in each case. These will be on top of the school day services.

Minibus services will also continue to serve customers from Monday to Saturday on a demand-responsive basis.

The third timetabled flexi return service connecting Jurby and Ramsey had already been moved by the DoI to 2pm in the original new timetable. Bus Vannin said this was because the ’12pm departure was not being used’.

Bus Vannin also announced that dial-a-ride services are ’being extended to give people living in Sulby a link to Jurby via St Jude’s and operating hours being extended in school holidays’.

Announcing the revised timetable earlier this week, Jason Moorhouse MHK, the politician with responsibility for transport services, said: ’The revised timetable is informed by demand and feedback from passengers, while fulfilling our role in providing services to rural communities and enabling social inclusion.’

However, Jurby residents said the changes would have actually contributed to social exclusion.

Aisha Ida Farmer told the Manx Independent how a lack of an available dial-a-ride service when she made an emergency GP appointment for her baby meant she had to call her mother to come out of work to take them to the doctors.

Dawn Huxham said the changes would have made it harder for her mother, who doesn’t drive, to get to work. She added: ’It’s absolutely shocking what they have done by cutting the community off like they have.’

Rachel Richards agreed and said that the changes to Jurby’s service means that ’people who don’t drive are completely alienated’ and it was proving difficult for her children to make plans with friends without relying on their parents to take them into Ramsey.

Sarah Melvin added: ’It’s also having a massive effect on people who work but don’t drive. Not every one is working the 9-5 Monday to Friday during term-time.

’How are people meant to make their shifts and get home and seek further transport arrangements in school holidays?

’It’s absolute lunacy, along with not being able to make medical/dental other appointments.’

Lesley Howard also criticised the changes: ’Leaving us as a community with nothing but the dial-a-ride is no good as you never know how long you’re going to be on it. You could have to pick up others in Andreas or Bride before you even get to Ramsey.

’Then you may miss your appointment or miss your bus home because you booked it back with plenty of time but then can’t help if the bus is late.’

Ayre and Michael MHKs Tim Baker and Alfred Cannan, who had demanded talks with the DoI over the changes, had said, in a joint statement, they ’were surprised and very disappointed by the announcement of changes to bus services in our constituency’.

They added: ’In particular we are very concerned by the severe reduction of services which affect Jurby community and the adverse impact this would have.

’We recognise the real concerns of our constituents over this and have made our views clear to the DoI.’

The OFT is investigating complaints that dial-a-ride is unfair competition to the taxi trade.

Pending the outcome of that inquiry, Connect Villages continues to operate under its 12-month trial licence.