A TRAVEL consultative group is to be set up on a trial basis - though the majority of carriers are against the proposal.

The Department of Infrastructure received 24 responses to a consultation with all of the air and sea carriers, some local authorities and Tynwald members giving their views.

Only one member of the public responded and all of the carriers were against the proposals - except one airline - as they considered their own consultation and complaint processes were adequate.

In their view the group would duplicate effort at government's expense for little significant benefit.

The formation of the group had been recommended by a Tynwald select committee in its report on the Steam Packet in 2008 and the department has decided to establish a group on a trial basis, chaired by Graham Cregeen MHK, to which TravelWatch and the Chamber of Commerce transport committee will be invited.

The group will hold its first meeting in the near future and there will be a follow up meeting in six months before there is further consideration of whether to establish a permanent travel consultative group.

Mr Cregeen said: "I would like to thank the interested parties for taking the time to respond to this consultation.

"As a recommendation of the Tynwald select committee it is important that we investigate how the travel consultative group could work and obtain the opinions of both industry professionals and the public via a well regarded pressure group."