Balearic Government to buy 150 ticket vending machines

THE Balearic Government will spend 951'780 to buy ticket machines for the future introduction of a single ticket which will entitle the holder to travel island-wide using bus, train or metro. This will be introduced by the Consortium of Public Transport. In an earlier press conference the deputy leader of the Balearic government, Rosa Estaras, said that this investment was a response to the necessity to consolidate the infrastructure of the network of public transport as only 50 of the 200 operating companies had this type of machine. The Government is expecting to introduce the Consortium of Public Transport at the end of their period of office, although this will only apply to buses and trains, the metro will have to wait until the next term of office. The Consortium will be composed of the Government and rail services of Majorca (SFM), although it is expected that councils and central Government will join in the future. In the case of local administration it will be decided by a vote in the Administration Council if money will be given to the society. Ticket vending machines will be installed to minimise fraud in the train stations of Inca, Manacor, Marratxi, Sa Pobla and the future station in Festival Park. The Consortium, which will be an autonomous organism dependent on the Balearic Ministry, will unite all the powers of the community and the Councils which have joined the Consortium in governing regular public transport for passengers. This entity will take charge of the planning and maintenance of a common system of transport through the interconnection of different services as well as establishing an integrated system of fares.