Consultants appointed to conduct a review of heritage railways are due to report back by the end of September.

A six-week public consultation on the future operation of the island’s vintage railway network ended last Sunday (August 13).

Engineering and transport consultants Systra were appointed by the Department of Infrastructure in May to undertake an independent review and economic impact assessment.

They have been tasked with considering the ‘true value’ of the heritage railways and how the benefits of their operation compare to the costs.

The operating model of the heritage railways as a publicly-owned and operated entity is also being examined, and whether they should continue to come under the Department of Infrastructure.

Systra’s remit includes evaluating the ‘appropriateness’ of the timetable and to consider the ‘alternative use of any railway assets found to be no longer required’.

Systra conducted a similar exercise in 2018 as part of the government’s Savings, Added Value and Efficiencies (SAVE) programme.

It found the railways bring between £4.5m and £22m of tourism spend to the island.

In the 2017-18 they cost £4.87m to operate but only generated 1.66m of revenue and so required £3.41m of subvention.

The last Systra report ruled out closing the Steam Railway line between Castletown and Port Erin but said the impact of closing the Manx Electric Railway line between Laxey and Ramsey should be looked at.

It noted the contribution that charitable status could make to the railway but saw this as a supportive role not a total replacement for government funding.

Hundreds of visitors from as far afield as Australia and the USA travelled to the island for the recent Transport Festival, which marked the 150th anniversary of the Steam Railway and the 130th anniversary of the MER.

Following significant investment in recent years, the heritage rail maintenance budget was halved in this year’s Budget from £4.5m to £2.25m. No budget is allocated from 2025 onwards.

Mrs Caine told the Examiner earlier this month: ‘I am very concerned that this is the greatest threat facing our remaining heritage railways in 50 years.’

William Cubbon, chairman of the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters’ Association, said in a statement to the organisation’s annual general meeting: ‘The government is to be congratulated for the major investment made over the years.

‘However, the decision by the Chief Minister to conduct a review in the very year of a key celebration is to say the least potentially damaging. The railways are a major part of retaining a tourism and leisure sector.’