IoM's 'gateway' facelift will take 3 years to complete

A horse pulls a tram along Douglas Promenade Credit: ITV

The scale of a major facelift of the Isle of Man's 'gateway to the island' has been highlighted this week.

Plans to rejuvinate Douglas Promenade have been set out by the Department of Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer MHK.

Thousands of tonnes of materials and up to three years of working time will be needed to reconstruct the failing highway, replace the horse tram tracks and carry out improvements to the footways, drainage, junctions and pedestrian crossings.

With planning approval granted, work is scheduled to start in September to update the promenade.

Materials to be used in the large-scale refurbishment include:

  • · 16,000 tonnes of aggregate

  • · 17,500 tonnes of tarmac

  • · 3,000 cubic metres of concrete

  • · 12,000sq metres of block paving

  • · 9,500 units of kerbing

  • · 8,500 metres of rail

  • · 1,100 metres of safety fencing

  • · 250 metres of traffic separators

The scheme will also involve up to 50 skilled construction workers and a wide range of plant and equipment.

The construction programme is expected to take up to three years to complete. A traffic management plan will be put in place to minimise disruption by maintaining two-way travel wherever possible.