The redevelopment of Douglas Promenade will deliver a wide range of social, cultural and economic benefits for the Isle of Man for generations to come, according to the Department of Infrastructure.
Minister Phil Gawne MHK says the proposed design represents the best option to create an enduring national asset that attracts people and supports investment.
He explained that a number of other options had been considered but discounted as they fell short of achieving the overall vision and objectives for an area described as the gateway to the Isle of Man.
As well as reconstructing the failing highway, the current scheme will strengthen the connection between the Promenade and town centre and support Government’s Agenda for Change priorities and the aspirations of the Central Douglas Masterplan. It will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the capital and reflect the Isle of Man’s status as a leading international business centre, a tourist destination and a desirable place to live.
The modern design and innovative layout will also balance the needs of the many different users of the Promenade and walkway. Traffic flow will be improved and public safety enhanced by devoting additional space to pedestrians and making motorists more aware of their surroundings.
Minister Gawne said:
‘I feel that now is the time to refocus on the overall vision - to create an enjoyable environment that will serve the best interests of our country, our economy and our people for the next 50 years.’
He added:
‘Capital investment to improve Douglas Promenade is urgently needed, as the road continues to deteriorate, with the surface becoming uneven, patched and badly cracked. The structural integrity of the ground under the road has failed and if this is not addressed the highway will continue to subside, crack and break up, no matter how many sticking plasters are patched onto the surface. The road has reached the end of its life and any money spent on superficial repairs will be money wasted.
‘From an aesthetic viewpoint, the Promenade has become tired, dated and some would say an aggressive and unfriendly environment. I am keen for us to recreate the sense of place the Promenade once had.’
The Department has assessed a number of refurbishment options and listened to feedback from public consultations, exhibitions and discussions with members of the business community and special interest groups. The Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce is among the organisations keen to see the Promenade redeveloped as part of the package of economic measures recently announced by the Chief Minister.
The objectives for the Promenade scheme include smoothing traffic flow, upgrading junctions and ride quality, repairing the drainage system, widening and enhancing walkways, and improving accessibility for pedestrians. In addition, the proposals will improve the experience for horse tram passengers, and maintain on-street parking, bus lay-bys and taxi ranks.
Minister Gawne said:
‘Since our plans were first announced, there has been discussion about cheaper alternatives for the Promenade. I can assure people that the design team has looked at a whole range of options. Most are totally unsatisfactory and would actually cost millions of pounds more in the long run or wouldn’t meet the scheme objectives or provide the economic benefits our preferred design will deliver. To progress a lesser scheme would waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create something that is bold and inspiring.’
Options considered and discounted by the design team are detailed below. The underlying reality is that the whole structure of the Promenade needs to be reconstructed.
The cost of the options varies from £500,000, for surface dressing, to £21 million for the proposed design. Not laying the horse tram tracks would reduce the cost of the preferred option by approximately £2.5 million.
Ongoing patch and repair– This is not considered a realistic, practical or cost-effective long-term solution. The road would continue to deteriorate until it became unsafe to use.
Surface dressing, chippings– This treatment would last a maximum of two years and would not improve the ride quality of the road or prevent cracks from reappearing. In addition, the road would start to flood when it rained because the cracks that are currently acting as the highway drainage would be temporarily filled in.
Surface dressing, micro-asphalt– This technique involves laying a thin layer of polymer modified asphalt over the existing road surface. It would have a lifespan of up to five years, but would not resolve the underlying problems. Again, there would be surface flooding when it rained.
Surface plane and inlay, excluding horse tram corridor– This is considered a short-term option as it is literally paving over the cracks and would show signs of deterioration within two years. Again, the road would be prone to flooding because of the failed drainage system.
Slab stabilization plus plane and inlay– This involves injecting a foam compound into the ground to fill voids and stabilize the existing concrete slabs. The road would show signs of failure within five years. The slabs are starting to crumble and recent use of this technique elsewhere in the Island has shown poor results.
Highway reconstruction, excluding horse tram corridor– Reconstruction of the road only, excluding the area where the horse trams run, on a like-for-like basis. The new road would have to follow the profile of the existing horse tram tracks, so would remain undulating. This option would not enhance the Promenade in any way and the footways, walkway and junctions would remain the same. Tram operations would be stopped for the duration of the scheme. The existing rail would have to be dug up and replaced within 20 years.
Highway reconstruction, including horse tram corridor and re-using existing rails– The rail would be destroyed when dug up from the road surface. Horse tram services would be suspended for the 3 to 5 year duration of the project.
Road reconstruction, including horse tram corridor and installing new twin rails– As with the previous option, horse tram services would be suspended for the duration of the project. The new tram corridor would have to be widened to meet modern safety standards and on-street parking on the Promenade would be significantly reduced as a consequence. The footways and walkway would remain unchanged and in a poor state of repair.
Highway reconstruction, including horse tram corridor and installing a new single rail in the centre of the road with a passing loop– This option was discounted because of safety concerns expressed by the horse tram operator, primarily vehicles driving towards and close to the horses. The footways and walkway would not be improved and the layout of the junctions would remain largely unchanged.
Highway reconstruction, with single horse tram track on the seaward side of the road– This layout would remove approximately 200 (37%) on-street parking spaces. The walkway would not be improved or refurbished.
Highway reconstruction, without horse tram tracks– Ideally, this would require a redesign of the current plans to ensure the optimum layout is provided in the available space. This would result in a delay and is not likely to be supported by Douglas Borough Council, which operates the horse tram service. There is a possibility that legal proceedings would be launched against the Department and legislation would probably have to be changed before work could start.
The Department’s preferred option is:
Highway reconstruction with junction and pedestrian crossing improvements, creation of Cultural Quarter and installation of a single horse tram track on the walkway– The Department believes this option represents the best long-term value for money solution by helping to create an improved economic, cultural and social environment for us all.
The Department will put forward an enhanced version of its original design after a series of meetings with local and UK blind welfare organisations. This included the Minister completing a blindfolded walk with a guide dog across the Promenade and around Lord Street. The improved design also widens the walkway by almost 2 metres in response to concerns raised by people campaigning on behalf of leisure users.
The Department will submit a revised planning application in August, which will be available to view on the Government website.
Minister Gawne said:
‘The horse trams continue to spark a lot of debate, not just the proposed location of the tracks, but whether or not the service has a future. The Department believes the horse trams can be safely accommodated on the walkway, particularly given the additional space for leisure users provided in the improved plans. However, I am also aware that some Tynwald Members do not support the inclusion of the horse tram tracks as part of the overall scheme.’
He added:
‘The enhanced plans will include controlled pedestrian crossings at Granville Street, the bottom of Broadway and near to the Promenade T-shirts shop to assist blind and partially sighted people. The groups we have worked with have welcomed the opportunity to input into the scheme and are very supportive of the changes.
‘I hope people will now get behind the Department’s efforts to create a Promenade in our capital that we will all be proud of.’