Cycle paths now link the island from north to south

MAJORCA will be criss crossed by 227 kilometres of cycle lanes which will link the north and south of the island before the end of the year. This includes 162 kilometres of new paths, most of them in the centre of the island. This was revealed yesterday by Balearic tourism chief Joan Flaquer, who said that next year, the government will extend the network towards the east and west of the island. More than 72 kilometres of new cycle paths have already been built this year, including the first stretch of one which links Inca and Selva, opened at the end of July. Fourteen paths were opened in August.
Another three paths, measuring more than 19 kilometres will be opened this month, and the remainder should be ready before the end of the year.
In many cases, existing rural roads have been used.
This first stretch of the cycle path network has cost 1.45 million euros, and it links the island from north to south, from Pollensa to Cap Blanc in Llucmajor, Flaquer said, promising that the project would continue next year, to cover the east and west of the island. Inestur, the Institute of Tourist Strategy, is preparing a campaign, including brochures in various languages, for next year, to announce details of the new network of cycle paths in fairs. Flaquer, who was accompanied by the director general of tourism planning, Josep Aloy, said that 18 inland towns and villages would benefit from this initiative, which would breathe new life into the facilities on offer, would lengthen the tourist season and make the areas through which the paths cross “more attractive.” More than 80'000 cyclists visit the Balearics each year, and the paths will be a major attraction, Flaquer said.