Latest news with #Onchan
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Opportunity to comment on Douglas and Onchan 20mph proposals
Detailed plans for the latest round of a scheme to introduce lower speed limits in residential areas have been put out for consultation. The move, brought forward by the Department of Infrastructure, will see the 20mph (32km) limits implemented in built up areas across the island over the next 18 living in Douglas and Onchan have been given until 4 July to submit feedback on the proposals for those areas ahead of the continuation of the Minister Michelle Haywood said her department was not to asking "whether there would be reduced speed limits, but which roads should be included". Last month Tynwald approved the Department of Infrastructure's plan for the scheme, which outlined increased public involvement and how the project would be put in said her department was "probably running one of the biggest consultation exercises that has ever been done", as the team aimed to engage with every local authority area over the coming months. 'Local knowledge' Maps have been made available to view at Onchan Commissioners' office, Onchan Library, Douglas City Hall, Douglas City Library and the Sea detailed maps have also been made available in an online portal, which allows people to leave feedback by selecting the road they wish to comment can also be sent by email to the traffic regulation order said Tynwald members had now approved the move three times, meaning she now needed to "deliver something that is the best for each residential area". "Our proposals are there, and they can contract or expand depending on local knowledge," she said while the department's engineers knew "what the road looks like in terms of highway designs", local residents were best place to comment on "how people use the road and how the traffic flows through the area".Roads near schools, hospitals and care homes, along with places "where we know there is an increased probability of people who are vulnerable", would be prioritised under the scheme, Haywood the department had gathered views and adjusted the proposals accordingly, the department would "feel we have the green light" to implement the reduced speed limits, she added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Move to introduce all island leisure rate rejected
A bid to introduce a leisure rate to replace local authority contributions to regional swimming pool costs has been thrown move would have seen the additional funds ring-fenced and allocated to the island's four local facilities and the National Sports Centre (NSC).Lawrie Hooper MHK had said the measure, which would have seen changes to the rates in Douglas, Onchan and Braddan, would raise £250,000 and make the system "more equitable".But Treasury Minister Alex Allinson said "full rate reform" would instead provide a "fair, modern and equitable way of funding community services and facilities". An all-island tax would "not solve the problem of how our regional swimming pools are funded, how they are managed, and their operations co-ordinated", he said. 'Lessening the burden' Hooper argued it was about "making things a little bit fairer and a little bit better" as rate reform would not happen all at once. Although the regional rates for the pools did not raise a lot of money in comparison to the total running costs of the facilities, the measure would have the effect of "lessening the burden" on the Department for Education, Sport and Culture the proposal, Jason Moorhouse MHK said it would resolve the issue of "imbalance" in the rating system, which saw some ratepayers pay for the pools, but not all, and would "ensure uniform contributions".But Chris Thomas MHK said the only reason that the facilities were paid for by rates was so that local authorities had control of the pools. He said introducing a fee in the east of the island could lead to the NSC being run by a local authority. Similarly, Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford said the measure would "centralise" the funding to the government and "remove that power from the local level".In a vote in Tynwald the measure was rejected by the politicians. Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Plans to lower some speed limits to 20mph approved by Tynwald
A plan to introduce lower speed limits in some residential areas has been given political 20mph (32km/h) zones have already been put in place in Port St Mary, with Douglas and Onchan next scheduled for the implementation of the scheme had faced criticism from some politicians, who said there had been a lack of consultation with local Infrastructure Minister Michelle Haywood said she was committed to an "expanded consultation" period in each area with a minimum of six weeks of local engagement. That commitment was cemented by an amendment by Ann Corlett, which included local consultation, the prioritisation of the lower speed limit around schools and clearer maps of the members also approved the monitoring of the new speed limits, with a review of the measures being published once implemented. 'Divisive' Haywood previously confirmed the implementation would be phased by region following local Rob Callister MHK said the minister had £400,000 to spend on implementing the zones in the "wrong places".He said although there were areas in Onchan that "might benefit" from lower speed limits or traffic-calming measures, those changes "should only occur through full engagement with the community, local authorities, and local Edge MHK said there was "still a lot of confusion" about what was going to happen. But MLC Gary Clueitt said it was an "operational plan" which seemed "reasonable".Corlett said that the principle of reduced speed limits around schools and in residential areas had been unanimously approved by members twice, but the "difficulty was in the where and the how", which had remained "divisive".Haywood told Tynwald final decisions would "only be made after local engagement" and mapping had been updated to make the proposals "clearer".She said the measure would enable residents to "enjoy the streets in which they live more" and reduce the risk of serious pedestrian infrastructure department's approach was "proportionate, evidence-led, and reflects the financial and operational realities we face", she added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Call for volunteers to man the Isle of Man's Camera Obscura
A group responsible for operating a Victorian tourist attraction is calling for new Isle of Man Victorian Society, which has run the Great Union Camera Obscura on Douglas Head since 2005, made the appeal after a number of current members become unable to man structure, which was built in 1892, uses sunlight to project an image of the outside world onto a surface in a darkened for volunteers, society chairman Peter Kelly called for "anyone with an interest and a concern that we don't lose this unique piece of Victorian ingenuity" to come forward. The Douglas Head structure was "unique" as it had 12 lenses around the building, instead of the more typical single aperture in the centre of the roof, Mr Kelly meant visitors could move around, and viewing various pictures of Douglas Promenade and Onchan Head, rather than having someone inside controlling the single aperture on the roof, he said."This was moving coloured pictures before there was cinema, let alone television and so the Victorians when they were inside could observe what was going on outside," he continued. The structure was purchased by the Manx government in the late 1980s before eventually being restored and re-opened to the public in 2005, when the Victorian Society was asked to run it. At that time, the society had 40 volunteers, and while there were currently 20, about 10 were unable to help out at the moment, Mr Kelly there had been concerns the site would have to shut for the remainder of the summer if more volunteers did not step forward, he said recent calls had lead to a "few more" people stepping forward, but the society was still appealing for additional people to join the structure played an important role in continuing to "show future generations what life was like in the past", Mr Kelly added. The site is open from 13:00 until 16:00 BST on Saturdays, and 11:00 until 16:00 BST on Sundays during the summer season. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
New Onchan Commissioner wants to be a voice for young people
The youngest local authority member on the Isle of Man has said she would like to "be a voice" for her age group. Gabriella Corkish, 19, was elected as an Onchan Commissioner in the recent local authority elections, and will hold the role of Onchan School Education Representative for a grown up around politics, Corkish is the granddaughter of Geoff Corkish, who was elected as an MHK in 2006 and later became an said: "Young people don't have a say very much in politics purely because they don't know who to talk, or maybe who their MHKs are, who their commissioners are, or how to get in touch with them." 'Do what is right' "I want to be an open, approachable person that can do what's right for the community," she said, adding that she hoped to "be a voice for younger people".She said she had always taken an interest in politics and studied Government and Politics at AS said she wanted to look at how to improve Onchan Park for the teenagers in the village, but also to improve sheltered accommodation for older people."I want to make my mark, help the community but also be a fresh face for the future," she who currently works at the Welcome Centre, said she would look in the future to join the House of Keys or Legislative Council, but added "being a commissioner is a good place to start". "If you're passionate about something and you care about your community and how things are run" then commissioners was "the way to go.""I hope that me doing this does get people involved," she added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
