Letters to the editor

RE: TRAFFIC CHAOS

I FEAR Simon Tow is the “eternal optimist” on thinking that the authorities have considered the traffic chaos that is going to occur with the opening of the new school at Portals/Costa d'en Blanes round about.

For starters, just look at the “site” for pedestrian crossings at said roundabout - they already cause problems, without school traffic. By my reckoning, at least two policemen per school are used to control pedestrian/vehicle traffic. Which means, that from Illetas to Santa Ponsa, if using the “old road”, at every roundabout (except punta negra) there is an exit road to at least one school - and if you include outside King Richards in Portals Nous village - a total of at least 16 officers are on “school duty” at least twice or three times per day - on this area of Calvia alone!

I also dread to think what effect the new school will have on Portal Nous village. The local authority is already unable or unwilling to control the highly dangerous and potentially lethal, illegal parking that takes place all/every day outside supermarket Cidon.

I have already spoken to councilors who just shrug their shoulders and to police, who say one police officer could spend all day there. Isn't it time the “fine” reflected the seriousness of the offense, after all, by my reckoning at least four laws are broken when parking on:

- Yellow line
- Yellow zig zag load/unload site
- Bus stop
- When leaving - those parked, reverse onto a main road

So if cameras are considered a “no, no” how about a fine of 500 Euros and if that doesn't work increase it to 1000 euros. It wouldn't take much to erect a sign outside “Cidon” informing the public of the fine for illegal parking.

Something has to be done before someone (most likely a child) is killed. It isn't as if there are insufficient parking sites on Portal Nous, it's just laziness on the part of motorists.

Yours sincerely,
M. Irving
Portal Nous