Traffic volume increased three per cent last year

The busiest stretch of road on the island is the Via Cintura from the junction with the Inca motorway to the Soller exit. In 2017, the average daily volume was 188,682 vehicles, which was a record number with a rise of some five per cent.

A similar increase for 2018 is likely to be announced.

Mobility has become one of Majorca's biggest headaches in recent years. The Balearic Institute of Social Studies undertook a survey in 2018 which found that 70% of respondents highlighted traffic jams as the main reason for their being late. These were jams for getting into Palma, and the level of response was higher than it had ever been.

Tailbacks can be caused by even the slightest incident on the Via Cintura. Most stretches of the road have average daily volumes of at least 100,000 vehicles.

The increased traffic volumes are a reflection of the fact that there are more vehicles taking to the roads. The number has gone up every year since 2014. By last year, there were 1,030,478 vehicles, a rise of almost 29,000 compared with 2017.