New Cregneash bus route will 'better serve tourists and residents alike', says minister

The 8S will run from Peel to The Sound from Saturday

It's hoped the new bus route to the south of the Island will better serve tourists and residents alike.

From tomorrow (Saturday 9 August), a new 8S service will start, going from Peel to Cregneash and The Sound via Castletown, the airport and Port Erin.

Back in July 2024, the then Infrastructure Minister, Tim Crookall, announced the number 28 would no longer operate because it wasn't 'financially viable'.

At the time, he said there just weren't enough passengers using the service:

The decision faced widespread criticism. 

The 28 service had provided a service to some of the Island's key tourist destinations, including Cregneash and The Sound, and many believed it was wrong that public transport wasn't going to serve them.

Fast forward to today though, and that service is about to be reinstated - albeit in a slightly different way.

The 8S will also act as a way to connect the West and South of the Island.

Starting in Peel, it will go via the airport and Castletown to Port St Mary, Port Erin, and then Cregneash and The Sound.

Current Infrastructure Minister, Michelle Haywood, hopes this will better serve the community and tourists alike:

One person who's dedicated the past year to campaigning for the route to be reinstated is Christa Viohl.

She started the 'Save Our Cregneash Bus' group, and joined me on the trial service:

But how will this help businesses? 

Emily Thompson is the manager at The Sound Cafe:

From tomorrow, the 8S will officially be available for the public to use.

The first bus will be departing Peel at 8.05 in the morning.

You can see the full timetable here.