The horse tram service on Douglas Promenade is to cease, with the Tramway Terrace/stable site to be offered for sale, the horses found new homes and stock offered to musuems.

That was a decision made at a special meeting of Douglas Borough Council, yesterday (Thursday 21st January 2016) due to the increased financial burden being made on Douglas ratepayers.

Discussions had been underway to find a solution including a 30-year loan option but had been determined to be not financially viable.

Council Leader David Christian said: ‘The council must always act in the best interests of the ratepayers of Douglas. To continue operating the horse tram service would place an unacceptable level of burden on the ratepayer, not only for the coming financial year, but also for the foreseeable future. The council recognises the important contribution the service has made to the island’s vintage transport heritage but Douglas, as with all local authorities, is having to make difficult decisions to fund, protect and develop key services.

‘The council has a duty to face and adapt to stark financial realities, to maintain a firm grip on its finances and deliver value for money to the ratepayer. Were the council to continue operating the horse tram service it would be failing in that duty.'

Regeneration and community committee chairman Councillor John Skinner thanked the tramway staff for their 'hard work and long-standing commitment to the service' and went on to add 'these are difficult times that demand rigorous examination of expenditure, current and future. Against this background the horse tram service is, regrettably, no longer sustainable.'