There are tuk-tuks in Madrid, so Muro won't be the first municipality in Spain to adopt them, but it will certainly be the first in Mallorca. The eight vehicles will be for the eight horse-carriage drivers who currently operate in Playa de Muro.
Muro's mayor, Miquel Porquer, says that the drivers have themselves requested alternatives. "They've had animal rights activists abuse them and stand in front of the carriages when they are taking tourists out."
The plan is for there to eventually be fifteen tuk-tuks. For now, the granting of municipal licences will bring in 320,000 euros - 40,000 euros per tuk-tuk - with concessions of twenty or thirty years.
The decision to go for tuk-tuks was partly because the process of change from horses is much quicker than with electric carriages. He notes that electric carriages are currently not approved by Europe, albeit this doesn't seem to be preventing Alcudia, while tuk-tuks are fully approved vehicles. He also believes that animal welfare legislation will in any event ban horse-driven carriages.
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This is such good news. My daughter lives in Mallorca so I visit as much as the 90/180 rule allows, I am always so upset seeing the horses in Palma, they struggle with heat, traffic and standing all day and night on an incline, they are not given enough food, water or rest. I have never taken a carriage ride for these reasons and would be much more likely to take a ride around the city if electric vehicles were available instead of these sad looking horses.
When is Palma going to stop the abuse of horses and do this?
Robert MacDonaldYES i would...rather then see Horses Dropping DEAD...!!!
Robert MacDonaldYes, at least they don't die of heat exhaustion.
Yes that's good but would you rather look at a tuk tuk lit up like a christmas tree blaring music out or an electric carriage??