Top level talks to improve safety for cyclists

The meeting was called by the Council of Majorca's Planning Director, Mauricio Rovira, and the Council's Director for Roads, Rafel Gelabert and also included members from the Majorcan Hotel Federation and tour operators which specialise in cycling here in Majorca and elsewhere in Europe.

This was in fact the second meeting after the Council of Majorca created a special commission to monitor the island's cycling activities and incidents and establish a dialogue with the main professionals teams which use the island every year for winter training.

Yesterday, on the agenda was mounting campaigns to increase driver awareness to the safety of cyclists and to create a more positive relationship between cyclists and drivers on the island's roads.

The commission also intends to locate all of the most popular cycle routes on the island and make sure they are properly sign posted and that cyclists, in particular the teams, have the necessary room and are not having to fight for space on the roads.

Rovira said that tunnel lighting will also be revised and will roadside paving.
Rovira said after yesterday's second meeting of the international commission that it was “a perfect example of the lines of public and private cooperation the Council of Majorca is keen to develop.” Rovira said that at the meetings, he will also be updating the representatives from the international cycling teams of any new major road works, such as the new access road to El Molinar and the construction of new cycle lanes out to Alcampo as well as all future projects such as the improvement of the road between Ses Salines and Colonia de Sant Jordi, which is extremely popular with cycle tourists and the new ring road round the North of Inca.

The President of the Majorcan Hotel federation, Inma de Benito, stressed that it is “fundamental” that everything possible is done to consolidate cycling as a majot activity in Majorca because it helps to decentralise the season by keeping hotels open during the winter. “So, for that reason, we need to make sure that the island's roads are in the best possible condition and that all steps are taken to ensure maximum road safety.” Oliver Cookson said that Team Sky comes to Majorca “ because the roads are good and the climate and environment are marvelous. “All you have to do to establish Majorca as the cycling centre of the Mediterranean is improve the road network.”