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Majorca's railway commuters and regular passengers are over the moon about the Inca to Sa Pobla extension, but they are not best pleased with the lack of discounts and special fares available for commuters, pensioners and groups if travelling all the way through from Palma to Sa Pobla, or visa-versa. Yesterday a petition signed by 1'550 train passengers demanding that the fares be revised was handed over to the SFM Majorcan railway company. Yesterday SFM manager, Joe Antonio Santos met a group of passengers to discuss their objections and complaints. Santos has agreed to revise the fares, which he explained are currently based on a minimum journey of ten kilomtres, which he agreed, financially penalises passengers travelling short distances in particular. Faced with the petition, and bearing in mind that both the SFM and the Balearic government want to do everything possible to attract more passengers, Santos said that the plea to revise the fares and introduce more discounts for communters, the elderly and groups, will be given serious consideration. Rail users said that the monthly-ticket scheme offers no advantages “it expires at the end of every month and is not transferable, if somebody is ill, they lose their money,” Guillem Ramis, spokesperson for rail passengers said. Travellers alsopressed SFM on expanding its services, but Santos explained that all of the company's rolling stock is in operation and that until more trains arrive, the frequency of services can not be increased. However, services will be boosted in 2002 - the year the Alcudia link is expected to be up and running. With regards to expansion projects, yesterday the Insular Council gave the green light for the purchase of the land needed to install more level crossings along the Inca to Sa Pobla link. The Balearic government also cleared the way for land to be bought for the rail link to Manacor. The 4'500 million peseta project is now in its final stages on the drawing board and the authorities want work to start as soon as possible. 99 per cent of the old track has been recuperated but 77 of the old level crossings are to be removed with 15 new over and underpasses built.