A former Infrastructure minister has claimed Treasury budget cuts were responsible for delays to improvements of Douglas harbour.
However a government spokesperson has refuted the claims, noting that the scheme has had a ‘significant’ increase to its budget.
Chris Thomas’ comments come after Brian Thomson, managing director of the Steam Packet, accused the Department of Infrastructure, and specifically Mr Thomas, who was Department of Infrastructure (DoI) minister at the time, for not completing the work on the King Edward VIII Pier earlier following public frustration at the Arrow not docking until the Manxman left Douglas earlier this month.
Mr Thomson told Isle of Man Today earlier this month that ‘it was Chris Thomas who was minister at the time and decided not to do it [start work on the pier before Manxman’s completion], but he’s very vocal in criticising the company now’.
The DoI has indicated that the timeframe of the £6.61 million scheme would not have affected the operations of the Manxman and the Arrow as Mr Thomson claimed.
Regardless of the potential impact of the works, Mr Thomas has said he wanted to do the work but Treasury cuts led to a change of plans.
He said: ‘I did not decide not to do the pier. In reality Treasury forced a huge budget cut, and then planned pier works had to be adjusted for the Manxman on consultants advice.
‘The reality is that all the budget approval, procurement and contracting took place on my watch.
‘There are still substantial harbour works to complete, including replacing and relocating a linkspan.’
However a government spokesperson has refuted the Douglas Central MHK’s claims, noting that the scheme has had a ‘significant’ increase to its budget.
It said: ‘Officers from the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) and Treasury have worked collaboratively to secure Tynwald approval to a budget for King Edward VIII Pier berthing works that allows a solution that is appropriate to the needs of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and its fleet.
‘In the 2021/22 budget year, the DoI commissioned Royal Haskoning DHV (RHHDV) to undertake an options study and validate costings for the King Edward VIII Pier works.
‘The scope of the project was revised to target the work that was essential for the new regular and reliable operation of the Manxman. RHHDV ultimately carried out further design work in 2022/23 that led to the initial budget being increased significantly to ensure that the scheme, which is currently mid-construction, appropriately safeguards both the harbour assets and the vessels. The historic harbours strategy budget for the King Edward VIII Pier included a wide range of other works that were removed to allow discrete schemes to come forward individually with the agreement of the DoI at the time.’