The opposition Popular Party in Palma want the entire 240 million euro budget for the Palma tram system to be used for other public transport purposes and to "really improve the mobility problems that Palma has and which Mayor Hila has caused".
The PP's president in Palma, Jaime Martínez, says that the party is not against there being a tram system in Palma, "but not this way and not now". In his view, the project "is electoral" and will be the "final straw" for traffic chaos in the city. He argues that the project does not have the necessary reports and studies to guarantee its viability. Moreover, the tram system, together with the new-look Paseo Marítimo, will result in the loss of 5,000 parking spaces. As there is already a deficit of 15,000 spaces, the total will rise to 20,000.
Martínez notes that, as yet, only 20 million euros of investment in the tram have been confirmed, while the 240 million doesn't include the costs of the trams themselves plus various other expenses. He estimates that the final cost will be around 350 million euros. "It is a populist project that will not ultimately be undertaken because there are so many holes in it and so few studies."
For Martínez, a "perfect storm" of traffic chaos is already being whipped up by the 80 km/h speed limit on the Via Cintura, the high-occupancy vehicle lane from the airport to the Palacio de Congresos and the elimination of lanes on the Paseo Marítimo.
His alternatives for spending the tram money include having a fully electric fleet of EMT buses. The buses, he says, "do not eliminate parking spaces or traffic lanes, they do not need overhead cables along their entire route, and they take less time to reach their destination".
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The absolute best solution would be an underground direct to Plaça d'Espanya, and rail connections direct from the airport to the inca-sa pobla-manacor line. But that's big money. Would scare the daylights out of anyone who would otherwise support this government or any government. I reckon the tram is the only solution that could reasonably be budgeted and pass scrutiny. The ideal solutions would never happen.
Backward looking PP dinosaurs can't imagine a world that includes cities that aren't clogged up with tens of thousands of cars making everyone that lives there ill.