Mallorca: 400,000-plus ferry vehicles spur calls for curbs
Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands, receives more than 400,000 vehicles by ferry each year: researchers want access limits at the busiest spots. On Friday, 9 October, Joana M. Petrus of the University of the Balearic Islands research group Gedetur said a blanket ban on travel was not possible. Instead, she called for restrictions at particular times in crowded areas across the islands.
Why dearer petrol is not the answer
The ferry figure comes from Mallorca’s island council, Petrus said. She also proposed looking at “mobility packages” for tourists.
Raising petrol prices would not ease congestion, she argued. People still need to get to work or school; without practical alternatives, they would have to find the extra money elsewhere.
Ibiza reports fewer vehicles
Ibiza, also in the Balearic Islands, already limits vehicles entering the island. Its island council has opened at least 50 proceedings over suspected breaches this tourist season, including cases involving hire firms operating beyond their allowance and private drivers without permission.
The council says the rules have cut vehicle arrivals by between 14,000 and 15,000, or 15%. Discussions on managing traffic continue after the Mallorca meeting in Menorca. No comparable access plan for Mallorca was announced.
More on this topic: Traffic on Mallorca
Topics: Housing · Tourism · Traffic · Politics · Palma
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com