GOING UNDERGROUND

By Jason Moore WHEN the Balearic government first announced plans for an underground rail link I thought it was just another crackpot idea which would never leave the drawing board. Unfortunately, I was wrong and a small army of labourers are busy burrowing under the centre of Palma and constructing Palma's first ever metro link. It is allegedly causing some problems as the pupils of a school directly over the link found out to their cost when the building started shaking. The metro link is designed very much for the local population; it will connect the centre of Palma with the main industrial estate and the local university. It is due to be completed by 2008 but there is already talk of delays. The project is costing millions of euros. Now, I don't want to appear negative about yet another local government star project, but the question has to be asked. Does Palma really need an underground system? Won't a good old bus solve the problem of traffic congestion at just a fraction of the cost? Surely a small fleet of mini-buses running on the same route of the metro would provide the same service. I must congratulate the local government for being bold but surely they must ask whether or not their new transport plan will make any difference to Palma. Will drivers be persuaded to leave their cars at home...I sincerely doubt it.