PEDAL POWER

THE Palma city council spent many millions of euros on building cycle tracks next to many of the key inner city roads. The actual construction process was a nightmare for motorists and pedestrians. Unfortunately now that the tracks have been completed you can count almost on a single hand the number of cyclists who actually use these lanes.

It is a shame but the Majorcan love affair with the motor car continues and I sincerely doubt that pedal power is going to make any serious inroads into Majorcan transport culture. So now we have beautiful cycle tracks and thinner roads, the same amount of traffic and no cyclists. Now, I understand the logic behind cycle tracks but what I don´t understand is why anyone in Palma thought they would ever really be needed. The volume of traffic through Palma continues to grow so really the council has two options; build more roads or introduce legislation which limits the number of vehicles which are allowed into the centre of town. It is a complicated decision but the council is going to have to take the decision sooner or later. Until then, we can just sit back and admire the beautiful and well crafted cycle lanes which are still empty. It is a case of back to the drawing board.