Increasing numbers of vehicles have created concerns about protection of the dunes at Cala Torta.

Increasing numbers of vehicles have created concerns about protection of the dunes at Cala Torta.

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterArta31/05/2018 00:00
TW
0

Having already decided to close the road that goes right into Cala Torta to private vehicles, Arta town hall is to introduce further measures to try and alleviate traffic. It is to run its own bus service to Cala Torta and Cala Mitjana, which will leave from the car park next to the football ground in Arta. The cost of this service will be two euros.

With access into Cala Torta denied, there is a car park on the way, and the town hall is to introduce a charge of four euros for this; this charge is for parking and is not, for instance, an hourly rate. Both the bus service and the car park arrangement are to be assessed during the summer. Residents of Arta and tourists will be able to use the bus through their citizens or tourist cards.

Bartomeu Gili, the councillor for economic affairs, says that the analysis of the bus service will identify what the best scheduling and route should be. It will also assess if the price of the ticket is right and consider putting its operation out to tender next year.

The town hall administration hasn't got unanimous support for the car park, as opposition parties abstained when the proposals were brought before the most recent council meeting. They argued that there should be an agreement regarding the car park with the owner of the land. In fact, they weren't sure how the administration could create the car park without an agreement.

Gili is making clear that the car park is not meant to be a source of revenue for the town hall. The charge, as with the bus, is designed to try and avoid "saturation". With this in mind, he is critical of the regional government's "inactivity". The town hall has asked for a bus service on many occasions but has never received a response.