Which bus services will run during driver's strike?

Bus services on the Isle of Man are to be disrupted as drivers begin a 10-day strike in a row over pay.

The walkout is part of an ongoing dispute between the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) - which operates government-funded services under the banner Bus Vannin - and the union Unite, about pay and entitlements.

People have been encouraged to make alternative travel or work arrangements during the disruption, where possible.

The government has contingency plans for those needing to use services over the weekend, and for when children return to school on Monday, as detailed below.

An hourly service from Douglas to Noble's Hospital in Braddan will run as the priority, to ensure staff can get to work and patients have transport to appointments.

Bus Vannin said minibus drivers providing services for Manx Care were not part of the industrial action so they should operate as normal.

Hourly services are planned on routes that link the south, north and west of the island to the capital at peak times.

Services between Douglas and Ramsey, Peel and the south will run for both commuters and school children, Bus Vannin said.

Hourly services on those routes outside peak times would also operate whenever possible, it added.

The operator said while no dedicated school services would run during the strike, school children would be able to travel on all bus services with their Go Cards at any time of day.

The general services running on main routes would "bring secondary school students to within walking distance of the schools", it added.

Manx Electric Railway services will operate on the Ramsey to Douglas line with runs via Laxey, for both commuters and school children to use.

Bus Vannin said it planned to have buses to transport those passengers from Douglas Promenade into the city centre and on to the capital's two secondary schools.

Pupils can use their Go Cards to access both bus and tram services.

The government said due to engineering works at Dougals railway station it was not possible to run contingency services on the Isle of Man Steam Railway.

The operator said a reduced timetable would be operated throughout the period of industrial action, but that would "flex" based on the number of drivers available each day.

Passengers hoping to use the bus have been encouraged to check the Bus Vannin website and use the findmybus app to keep up to date with the changes.

To accommodate the potential rise in the number of people who travel to Douglas by car during the strike, free parking is being made available on the Promenade Walkway, subject to weather conditions.

Bus Vannin has also appealed for anyone who holds a public vehicle licence to contact the department.

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