The Department of Infrastructure has seen a loss of around £50,000 a month as a result of car parking barriers not being operational at Ronaldsway Airport.

The barriers were in operation only between August and November last year. They were up from April 2020 to July 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic and to facilitate the vaccine hub based at the airport from January to July 2021.

The hub closed on Sunday, July 4.

The DoI collected a total of £1,154 in parking fees in 2021.

In 2020, in the three months before the pandemic hit our shores, the car parks brought in more than £127,000.

Just £5 was generated in October last year. In comparison, in October 2019, £59,510 was generated, and in October 2018 the figure stood at £61,237.

According to the statistics provided as part of a response to Freedom of Information request, in the years 2017-2019 revenue topped £600,000 annually, and in 2016 it was over £565,000.

The barriers are currently not working.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall has said the barriers are an ongoing issue of which the department is aware.

They are not functioning and the department is currently acquiring prices on how much it will cost to fix them.

Sourcing parts for the old machines is another issue.

The department is looking into installing entirely new machinery, with the function of being able to pay by card, rather than with coins.

Mr Crookall stated that new barriers would pay for themselves over time - as is evidenced by the high rate of revenue they usually generate - and the department was working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.