Launch of Laxey Link Bus Trial
Chief Minister’s Office
Oik yn Ard-shirveishagh
Government Office
Bucks Road
Douglas
Isle of Man, IM1 3PN
Date: 31.05.12
Launch of Laxey Link Bus
A
NEW hop-on/hop-off bus service linking some of Laxey’s main attractions will be
launched on a trial basis from Monday, June 11.
The
aim is to provide a convenient connection between the upper and lower parts of
the village via a route which takes in the Promenade, Woollen Mill, Tram
Station, Heritage Shop, Cornmill and Great Laxey Wheel.
The
Laxey Link Bus, to be operated by Tours (IoM), is being introduced as a result
of an idea first raised during the public consultation about the Laxey
regeneration proposals.
Members
of the local community identified the distance between the different shops and
attractions, and the steepness of the routes, as a challenge for people
visiting the village.
The
link bus initiative is supported by the Laxey Regeneration Committee, chaired
by Steve Rodan SHK and comprising members of the local authority, private
enterprise and the voluntary sector.
The
Committee has worked in partnership with Tours (IoM), Laxey Commissioners,
Laxey and Lonan Heritage Trust, and Manx National Heritage in order to launch
the new service.
It
is hoped that the scheme, to be introduced on a four-week trial, will provide
an economic boost to businesses in Laxey by encouraging people to spend more
time in the area.
The
link bus will operate five days a week, Monday to Friday, and run every 20
minutes from 10am to 4pm. It will connect the centre of Laxey, where people
arrive by tram, coach or car, with the Wheel, Woollen Mills and Promenade.
Temporary signs will show the route and request stops.
Bus
fares for the full route – with the opportunity to get on and off at any of the
stops – will be £1.50 for adults, £4 for families, £1 for senior citizens with
a bus pass, and £1 for children.
Steve Rodan said: ‘The
Laxey Link Bus is a great idea for Laxey. I am delighted that Tours (IoM) is
testing the viability of the bus route for four weeks to see if it works. This
is a real partnership between the private, public and voluntary sectors. The
Regeneration Committee recognised that the Government Regeneration Scheme is
about physical improvements, but we, as a community, could make improvements by
implements ideas such as a bus service to meet the needs of visitors. I hope that local Laxey residents will also find this new service very
useful.’
He
added: ‘I know that some visitors, from the very young to the elderly, have
difficulty walking the distances to the Wheel, the Woollen Mills or the beach,
so the new bus service will help more people to get to these places.’
Linda
McCauley, the Regeneration Manager said: ‘Regeneration is about the community
getting behind ideas to make their towns and villages more economically viable.
Whilst the Laxey Link Bus is not a regeneration funded project, the Bus is a
trail to help support local and Island businesses by getting people to the
places they want to go. Visitors will be able to spend longer in Laxey, and we
will be asking selected businesses to keep a record of the numbers of visitors
during the trial period so that we can measure any increase in numbers.’
Ends
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For further information contact:
Steve
Rodan SHK, Chairman of Laxey Regeneration Committee, tel: 861514 and
685508.
Linda McCauley, Regeneration Manager, tel: 685293