Mallorca takes first step towards banning non-resident vehicles

The Regional Minister for Territory, Mobility and Infrastructure, Fernando Rubio, announced this initiative on Monday at a press conference and signed the resolution that initiates the process of drafting the legal text, which opens a one-month public consultation period on the Council of Mallorca’s website.

The first traffic load study in Mallorca, presented in October 2024 by the island’s institution, reflects an ‘alarming’ increase in traffic on the island in recent years: in 2023, a total of 324,623 vehicles entered Mallorca with drivers, 108% more than in 2017. In addition, 55,000 more vehicles arrived as cargo (without drivers), bringing the total figure to 379,623.

Traffic jams are one of the issues that come in for most criticism from residents. Therefore, the Council is working to reduce the number of cars entering the island as well as on other measures such as improving access to Palma, one of the most congested routes. In the meantime, The Council of Mallorca has announced that restrictions on vehicle access to the Formentor area will be extended until 30 October 2025. The measure, which responds to a request from Pollensa Council and recommendations from a recent load study, will mean that visitors will only be able to access Formentor by public transport, on foot or by bicycle from the 1st of June until the 30th of October, from 10 am to 10 pm.

The Balearic government has confirmed the continuity of the shuttle bus service - which always operated during the period of restrictions - during the month of October, facilitating access for those who wish to visit the viewpoint, the beach or the lighthouse. More than 245,000 vehicles travelled along the Formentor road during the period of restrictions from June to September