New rules for Palma's EMT bus service will include an obligation for passengers to have to wear tops. The president of EMT, Palma transport councillor Joan Ferrer, has outlined several new measures, such as banning the playing of music except if passengers have earphones and taking bikes or scooters on buses unless they can be folded down.
The rules will expressly oblige passengers to use only one seat in order to put a stop to so-called "manspreading", the practice of some men who take up two seats and which creates a nuisance for other passengers. Still under consideration is the notion of stops between stops as a way of reducing situations of risk to women. Sexist advertising on buses is to be prohibited. Fines for not paying for a ticket will be between thirty and fifty euros.
Ferrer says that the town hall is looking into whether banning smoking at bus stops. "In principle this doesn't sound like a bad idea to me." There are bans of this nature in Madrid and Valencia, but Ferrer explains that the town hall will need to establish if it has the powers to introduce this ban on what is public way.
