The war of words between North Douglas MHK John Houghton and the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure - over the Island's new bus timetable - is continuing.

Mr Houghton is claiming 17 drivers have gone off sick this week, because of the pressure of dealing with the new times, routes and stops, and the flood of queries from passengers.

In reply, the department says 13 of its 103 drivers have been absent since the new schedule came in on Monday, but there hasn't been a single case where the reason given was stress.

Six of them are long term absentees, and some of the remaining seven have already returned to work.

Mr Houghton says he got the information from a bus driver he knows, and will be calling for a select committee to examine the new time table, and the bus service as a whole.

He has organised a public meeting for this coming Monday night, at which the new schedule, which he describes as 'shambolic', will be discussed.

Mr Houghton is throwing down a challenge to Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure David Cretney to 'face the music'.

Mr Cretney is promising to review the revised timetable in three month's time, and three specific areas of concern are already being addressed.