THE founder of Jurby Transport Museum says he won’t be bullied into standing down.
Chairman of the Manx Transport Trust Richard Davis said he fears the plug could be pulled on the Jurby attraction which has had 32,000 visitors since it opened in 2010.
But the Department of Community Culture and Leisure, which sublets the museum building to the trust, insists the museum’s lease is not in jeopardy.
The dispute centres on the sale of a bus used in open-top sightseeing tours.
Members of the board of the Manx Transport Trust last week voted on a proposal for Mr Davis to stand down as chairman and take up the honorary title of president. In a statement, director Barry Edwards said that while the chairman had done nothing wrong, his actions ‘had caused embarrassment’ to the DCCL.
The vote, which was split with three for and three against with one abstention, followed an acrimonious discussion about the sale of an ex-Bus Vannin double decker owned by retired police officer Mr Davis to Mann Sightseeing Tours boss Steve Dugdale.
Mr Edwards, who had voted for Mr Davis’s removal, claimed the chairman had left the board and two other directors had left with him.
But Mr Davis, who has been involved in bus restoration for 30 years and was the brainchild behind the transport museum, said he has no intention of resigning.
He said the board feared the DCCL could terminate the museum’s lease when it comes up for renewal next September.
Mr Davis told iomtoday: ‘The price for remaining open is for me to step down. But I’m not prepared to be bullied into doing that. I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong.’
Mann Sightseeing Tours boss Mr Dugdale said: ‘If the DCCL has been embarrassed they shouldn’t take it out on the Manx Transport Trust. It’s ridiculous.
‘If the DCCL pull their financial support then they could go under.’
Mr Davis explained double decker number 65 was one of four redundant Leyland Olympians he had personally bought from Bus Vannin in 2010.
There were no restrictions put on his use or subsequent disposal of the vehicles except that he pay for any tyres retained and that the Isle of Man Transport fleet name branding and logos be removed which was done immediately upon their arrival at the museum, he said.
He said its sale to Mr Dugdale was provisionally agreed on the basis that the tour operator boss was successful in obtaining an operator’s licence from the Road Transport Licensing Committee. He said this was done to ensure any possible controversy over the use of the bus was resolved by the RTLC which could hear any objections from operators if they felt it was detrimental to their business.
But no objections were registered and a licence was issued by RTLC - and the sale of the bus went ahead.
Mr Edwards said the museum will continue to be open as advertised and the board was committed to continuing to provide the island with a ‘brand leading’ attraction.
DCCL Minister Graham Cregeen said there had been no embarrassment to the department. ‘We thought the bus was going to the museum. We’ve got no issue with the bus tour. The question of the chairmanship is a decision for the board.’
Nick Black, chief executive officer of the DCCL, said: ‘The department has made no suggestion whatsoever that the lease on the museum will be ended prematurely.
‘The property is owned by the Department of Infrastructure but is leased to this department and sublet to the Trust. The department expects to renegotiate the lease in the usual way when it is next due for review. Current concerns appear to relate to roles within the trust, which are a matter entirely for the officers and members of that trust.’