CALVIA
THE Majorcan Socialist Party (PSM) yesterday asked the Calvia town council and the Council of Majorca to research the possibility of opening to the public the path that leads to the point at Cala Figuera. This pathway also leads to the defense tower. The Socialist Party are asking that this path gets reopened because they believe that “it does not appear” to be strictly for private use. The spokesperson for the Council of Majorca, Antoni Alorda, stated that the defense tower is included as part of the Good for Cultural Interest programme (BIC) and whose access is allowed in the Patrimony Law. According to the Socialist Party, the Calvia town council must confirm who the title holders of this path are, officially reopen access to the pathway and also “get rid of the obstacles that stop the public using this path”. In the case that this path is actually found to be privately owned, the Socialist Party will press the Local Co-operation Department as well as the Council of Majorca to open “negotiations” with the private owner to guarantee that ”it can be used” by people on foot and people on bicycles. This section of the area has a lighthouse that was designed by Emili Pou and dates back to 1860. The lighthouse is “an exceptional viewpoint” and is important for tourism and patrimony, said Alorda.

Tunnel closed

SOLLER
THE Soller tunnel will remain closed to traffic until this Friday between the hours of midnight and 6am. The reason for this closure are the works that are being carried out by the Department of Public Works in the Council of Majorca to improve the safety of the tunnel. The department has recommended that drivers in this area should be aware of this closure and should use alternative routes, for example the C-771. Furthermore, the Council of Majorca has announced that there could be traffic problems today from 8am until 3pm in Llucmajor, on the stretch of road where the C-717 and the PM-501 roads meet and at the molino roundabout. The reasons for these traffic problems are the works to improve the pavements. Also, there could be traffic jams today on the Sa Ràpita road (PM-V 602-1), due to resurfacing works being carried out in the area.

Walking promotion

ANDRATX, POLLENSA
THE hiking pathway, known as the “Ruta de Pedra en Sec” that is being established between Andratx and Pollensa will hopefully be finished in 2007, said Miguel Angel Borrás, Head of the Department for Environment and Nature at the Council of Majorca. Currently 30 percent of this pathway, a dream for hikers, is open to the public. Last year the council paid out around 360'000 euros in the form of grants to owners of country estates along the pathway, so that they could repair the necessary parts of the path, as well as barriers and other areas, said Borrás. In addition, the Council of Majorca will pay out an additional 240'000 euros which will again be given to estate owners. With these payments, the Council of Majorca is assuring that the people can legally use this pathway with approval from the estates that the path crosses through. Furthermore the Department for Environment and Nature will tomorrow be attending the “Hiking, Adventure and Nature Fair” that is being held in Paris from 31 March until 3 April. The aim of the department is to promote the Balearic Islands as a top hiking spot for foreign tourists, and also to promote the new pathway, “Ruta de Pedra en Sec”. Due to the fact that there has been a stronge worldwide increase in hiking, especially in Europe, the Council of Majorca wants to ensure that the islands will be a prime spot for hikers from all over the world. “We are not trying to convert this hobby into a mass tourism activity, but we are trying to create a top quality area for hikers”, added Borrás.