On the morning of Tuesday 29th November 2005 the Supporters' Association learned of the resignation of David Howard, the Director of Public Transport, a role he had held since the departure of Robert Smith in 1999. His resignation was headline news on Manx Radio by midday and the following statement was available online on the radio station's website by later that afternoon:-

"The Island's Director of Public Transport is leaving the position. David Howard handed in his letter of resignation this morning and it was accepted "with regret" by Tourism and Leisure Minister, David Cretney. Mr. Cretney is thanking Mr Howard for his contribution to what the Minister calls "an important area of his department's work". Mr Howard is leaving at the end of February, which will be six and a half years after he took up the position. He came to the Isle of Man from Eastbourne, where he was Managing Director of a bus company."

Whether this is an "official" statement is not known but it evidently cites an interview with the Minister from the time. However, other reports on local-based website www.manx.net claim that Mr. Howard "retired" from the position. During his time in charge of both the railway and bus networks of the Island, there have been many significant changes for both better and worse; the pros and cons of these changes are discussed elsewhere in these pages.

The day after his resignation/retirement Manx Radio interviewed Mr. Howard who stated that he:- "believes a number of ‘landmark achievements' have been chalked up during his six years in the Isle of Man". The subsequent news item on the website said "...he unexpectedly handed in his notice earlier this week, says the Island should be proud of the way its bus and rail services are continuing to change".

Mr. Howard was also publicly applauded by Bernard Moffat, the head of the Transport & General Workers' Union, whose job it has been to negotiate pay deals for him and his staff. Mr Moffat described him "as a man who could be trusted, and that made a great difference when negotiations were on". He also said the transport situation he came into was a "battlefield" in industrial relations terms.

Mr. Howard's departure comes at a time when the tourism industry on the Island is still on the slide; it has been rumoured that the T.T. races are to be significantly altered after their centenary year in 2007, and the changing times within the Steam Packet Company are making it increasingly more difficult and expensive to get to the Island. Although there have been many changes for the good under Mr Howard's policies, the trains and trams have been somewhat pigeon-holed under the banner of "public transport", more akin to a bus service on rails. This in itself is commendable (as is the major infrastructure investment brought about by the I.R.I.S. scheme, although this was enforced upon the railway rather than insisted upon by management) but one of the major criticisms, which have been highlighted in recent editions of the national railway press, is that the historical context of the railways has been lost.

One only has to look at the wayside stations, Santon in particular to see that it has lost forever its sleepy charm in favour of tarmac platforms and B & Q benches. It is perfectly understandable that as this was the railway's terminus for one season, facilities had to be improved, but was this not a little over the top? Now is the time to bring the historical aspect back to both steam and electric railways, carrying passengers gently through the beautiful Manx countryside.