Proposed amendment to Alcudia's transport regulations has ended the required period of public consultation without any challenges having been made to it. This means that the way is now open to allowing horse carriage drivers to switch to electric carriages.
However, these replacement carriages won't suddenly be appearing on Alcudia's roads. They are being manufactured in Valencia and they will then need approval and a formal request by drivers to change their licences. The drivers are assuming the cost - around 50,000 euros per carriage - and will be allowed to keep driving horse carriages in the meantime. The amended regulation also specifies requirements in respect of horses' health, nutrition, hygiene and image.
It has previously been suggested that the first electric carriages won't be available until late on in this year's tourism season. When they are operative, they will be able to carry a maximum of five passengers and will travel at no more than 25 km/h.
Alcudia has become the first municipality in the Balearics to formalise arrangements that will ultimately mean there are no horse carriages. Muro town hall is at present still processing the necessary amendment to regulations. When it does, the go-ahead will be given for the use of electric tuk-tuks in Playa de Muro. It is expected that these will be on the roads relatively quickly; the manufacture of the tuk-tuks is less time consuming than for the electric carriages.
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Who, in their right mind, would pay to have a little joy ride in a funny looking electric carriage? You might as well get on that pointless road train thing that toots up and down the Arta road.
This is very good news but the implementation needs to be speeded up as its in the high temperatures that the poor horses suffer the most. This needs to be brought in island wide, I think the drivers of the carriages would do a lot more business if horse cruelty was not involved.