'More data is needed' on bus routes' profitability

"More detailed analysis" is needed to understand which bus routes make money on the Isle of Man, the infrastructure minister has said.

During Tuesday's House of Keys sitting, Tim Glover MHK questioned how many bus routes were profitable on the island, after a seasonal service to Cregneash and the Sound was scrapped.

Minister Michelle Haywood said it was "hard to tell... due to the number of concessions and prepaid cards" that were in use.

But she confirmed her department was working to improve how data is collected and acknowledged that buses provide "essential access for residents".

It is expected to cost £12.4m to operate Bus Vannin this year, with passenger revenue projected to be £5.4 million.

The £7m deficit will be covered by taxpayers.

Glover asked how former minister Tim Crookall was able to deem as "not financially viable" the number 28 route to a folk village and beauty spot at the southernmost tip of the island.

Prior to her appointment as infrastructure minister, Haywood - who is MHK for the area concerned - criticised the decision to pull the service last year.

Hayward said she believed her previous comments may have been made in relation to "money collected on board the bus" and "didn't account for any income that should have been apportioned from various concession cards".

She went on to say that a "true picture needs more data" since routes' total income is affected "by many things such as the number of commuters using prepaid cards or passengers who have subsidised travel.

The minister confirmed the government's upcoming bus strategy included a move to implement a "detailed route costing process" to understand where subsidies were "most heavily applied and help guide future decisions about where public support should be focused".

But Hayward stressed that the bus service was "not about profitability on routes, or trying to make a profit".

Rather, she said it was "about trying to keep our communities connected and provide services they need so they can access schools, shops and community activities in a way that is convenient and cost effective for them".

Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.