The Department of Infrastructure is to put forward proposals to increase the flexibility of manual workers' hours.

It's hoped the move will also cut costs.

Minister Phil Gawne says manual workers in the Department are more competitively priced than private sector workers in terms of an hourly rate during the day.

However, when work takes place outside the usual 8am-4.30pm day, the reverse is true.

He says the department needs to deliver services around the needs of the public and he would like to see an increased use of new working practices, such as those used on Johnny Watterson's Lane which reduced the length of the project from 40 to just nine weeks.