Of the twelve issues analysed by the Balearic Government's sustainability pact working parties, land transport received the most responses on the website that was set up to invite the views of the public.
Congestion on the roads is being addressed by the Council of Mallorca, which on Monday announced an intended Sustainable Mobility Law. The president of the Council until spring 2023, Cati Cladera of PSOE, has responded to this announcement by pointing out that this law is still at an "initial" phase and that its implementation is "far from reality". It will not come into effect until the summer of 2026 at the earliest, rendering it ineffective in alleviating current overcrowding.
This latest "disappointment", says Cladera, adds to a long list of unfulfilled promises by the current president, Llorenç Galmés of the Partido Popular, to combat overcrowding. "This is what Galmés usually does: empty announcements, lies we no longer believe. The PP don't want to implement effective measures; they're only trying to buy time and pass the buck."
In her view, Galmés and President Marga Prohens have promised solutions because of pressure from protests. "It's a strategy of delay without the slightest intention of implementing real measures. These are placebo announcements to calm citizens while continuing to encourage planning speculation and the use of private vehicles."
While the PP are delaying vehicle restrictions, Cladera notes they have decided to regularise illegal building on rural land and widen lanes on Palma access roads.
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NilocAirport Expansion ? Before the present Airport was built, a team of people were sent to Airports all over the World. To learn about what would be best for Mallorcas new Airport. When it was built, all the ideas they had seen were incorporated in Mallorcas present Airport. It was said it was built to accommodate millions of visitors. Today it is proposed to increase its size. So I suppose the original plan was not big enough.
More buildings = more people = more traffic, is not just a Mallorca problem, its a global problem. I liked the idea of FREE transport, until I read it was only for residents? Free transport should be for ALL, paid for by the tourists tax. Car hire ? of course it should be curtailed, only for home owners and residents and take restrictions off UBER for goodness sake. And finally has anyone seen the airport expansion? its amazing, what do they know that we don't?