Council in the north hope to revive bike only lane project

Staff Reporter THE town councils in the north of the island plan to revive plans for a bike only lane which the previous coalition government planned to finance with tourist tax funds. The lane was designed to connect the chief resort areas in the north, from Alcudia to Can Picafort. The town councils of Sa Pobla, Pollensa, Alcudia, Muro, Santa Margalida and Artà have formed a mancomunidad or coalition, to promote joint enterprises and it is they who have decided to submit the project to the Council of Majorca's works and services programme for funding. The mancomunidad is presided over by Majorcan Union (UM) councillor Jaume Perelló of Muro. He said they would study the plans for the bike only lane next week before submitting them to the Council of Majorca. The plans were drawn up by the last government's mobility board and the project will cost 984'000 euros. Perelló said that he was aware that the mancomunidad would have to seek a method of financing spread over several years. The ambitious project was going to be the first network of roads in the Balearics which would be free of motorised traffic. It was to be ten kilometres long, running parallel to the Artà road and linking Alcudia and Can Picafort. Perelló said that some changes may have to be made to the initial project, to take into account the specific needs of some of the municipalities which will be affected. The old bike only lane which linked the Muro beaches with the Can Picafort roundabout was withdrawn from service because it was deemed to be too dangerous. Some years ago, the Balearic government of the day proposed a new bike only lane parallel to the Artà road, on the side closest to the Albufera natural park, but plans were halted by the park directors during the last legislature, claiming that it would damage the ecosystem.