New around-town bus service in Inca

INCA
AN around-town bus route will shortly be up and running in Inca, circulating through the older districts and taking in the train station on the way.
The project is the result of an agreement which has now been finalised between the Balearic Ministry for Public Works and Transport, and Inca Council. The bus route, with four stops, is a repeat run of the service which was put on trial unsuccessfully in 1998.

The first stop will be in the bus station, opposite the Plaza Antoni Mateu and next to the train station. The second will be situated at the intersection between the Gran Via Colom and the Calle Fra Juniper Serra, where a passenger shelter will be installed during the next few weeks.

The third stop will be on the roundabout giving access to the local hospital and the last will be situated in the Plaza Mallorca, where a shelter will also be put in place.

The Ministry has already calculated the cost of this service, some 140'000 euros per year, which they will finance with contributions from public administration and the users of the service.

At the moment, the Council and the Balearic Government are working out the fare for this new service, which will probably be around one euro.
Inca council has not discounted asking for the collaboration of other councils in the area, whose citizens will use this service on arriving in Inca by train.

Studies are underway on ascertaining the time that the bus takes to complete the circuit, which is estimated at approximately 30 minutes. “It is important that it doesn't take too long to make the journey because the failure of the 1998 service was due to the time lapse between buses being too great. Because of this, many people thought it quicker to walk,” said a Council spokesman. “In any case, it will be a service providing transport for people from the whole district, as well as being an “about town” bus for local residents,” explained the Mayor of Inca, Pere Rotger.

Although it is still not known which day the new Inca hospital will be inaugurated, some sources say that it will be February 26, the date when the Balearic Ministry of Public Works and Inca council hope to have the new bus service in place.

It is believed that this new service will have more users commensurate with the hospital filling up with patients. The run between the train station and the hospital is important because patients can then leave their cars at home.