Service

Summary

The Department of Infrastructure responded to a request for weekly passenger numbers, daily operating costs, and total introduction costs for the 8/8S bus route. The authority disclosed a full dataset of weekly passenger figures from August 2025 to January 2026, an average daily operating cost of £469.96 on school days, and a total introduction cost of approximately £80,969.

Key Facts

• Weekly passenger numbers for the 8/8S route were provided from 10/08/2025 to 18/01/2026.
• The average daily operating cost on a school day is approximately £469.96.
• The total cost to introduce the route was calculated at approximately £80,969.
• Operating hours are reduced on non-school days to maintain efficiency.
• The request was received on 30 December 2025 and closed on 3 February 2026.

Data Disclosed

• 565
• 1994
• 1604
• 1327
• 1273
• 1080
• 956
• 1179
• 842
• 955
• 861
• 856
• 808
• 756
• 762
• 758
• 689
• 680
• 637
• 609
• 424
• 621
• 536
• 767
• 10/08/2025
• 18/01/2026
• £469.96
• £80,969
• 30 December 2025
• 3 February 2026
• 5198651

Original Request

I seek the total number of passengers who traveled on the 8/8S route for each week since its launch? How much does it cost to operate this route each day? What has been the total cost of introducing this route?

Data Tables (2)

Full Response Text

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Contact: FOI Response Team Telephone: (01624) 686785 Email: dpo-doi@gov.im

Our ref: 5198651 3 February 2026

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 30 December 2025, which states:

"I seek the total number of passengers who traveled on the 8/8S route for each week since its launch?

How much does it cost to operate this route each day?

What has been the total cost of introducing this route?"

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

I seek the total number of passengers who travelled on the 8/8S route for each week since its launch?

10/08/2025 565 17/08/2025 1994 24/08/2025 1604 31/08/2025 1327 07/09/2025 1273 14/09/2025 1080 21/09/2025 956 28/09/2025 1179 05/10/2025 842 12/10/2025 955 19/10/2025 861 26/10/2025 856 02/11/2025 808 09/11/2025 756 16/11/2025 762 23/11/2025 758

30/11/2025 689 07/12/2025 680 14/12/2025 637 21/12/2025 609 28/12/2025 424 04/01/2026 621 11/01/2026 536 18/01/2026 767

The week endings that are highlighted are non-school day operations.

How much does it cost to operate this route each day?

The cost is dependent on what hours are operated, to maintain efficiency hours have decreased in non-school operating days since the route was introduced. As an average day, on a school day operational week, it costs approximately £469.96.

What has been the total cost of introducing this route?

At the time of calculating the response it has cost approximately £80,969.

Please quote the reference number 5198651 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.

More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.