315´000 euros a year to back cycle system

Palma.— Mobility councillor Gabriel Vallejo said yesterday that once the summer is over, and after administrative and legal issues related to “Bicipalma” have been resolved, the public cycle system will be ready for use by people on a season ticket basis - for a quarter, a half year or a full year, or even just for a number of days. Vallejo said that although in the first instance, the City Council is going to assume the cost of management and maintenance of the system, it is going to consider means of sponsorship as a way of keeping the drain on the Council's resources down to a minimum. The Councillor said that the ruling Partido Popular in Palma have always backed the concept of a public cycle system as ideal for the city but criticised the previous Socialist coalition council who had set it up too hastily. Little consideration, he said, had been given to establishing necessary bylaws and calculating the cost to the public purse. Vallejo explained that when the discount season ticket system comes on line for public cycle users, payment will have to be made through a personal bank account. A deposit of 15 euros will have to be made for the first year. The maximum allowed usage of a public bicycle in Palma is two hours a day. The first half hour will be free, the second half hour 50 cents and the second hour, 1 euro.