PALMA BUS SERVICES RISE TO THE CHALLENGE

Local authority sources confirmed that the statistics for 2006 were a 4.3 percent rise on those for the previous year. They reveal that the most used municipal bus service was in fact the number 3, running between Pont d'Inca and Cas Catalá which claimed a total of 8'176'214 passengers in 2006. The next most popular route was the number fifteen which ferries residents and tourists alike between Plaza Reina below the Cathedral in Palma, along the Playa de Palma and out as far as Arenal. Next on the list was the number 5 covering the route between Es Rafal Nou and Son Dureta; the number 7 from Son apinya to Son Gotleu; and then the number 8 which runs up to Son Roca. The routes which saw the number of passengers rise most notably were the 28, a circular service encompassing Son Llàtzer; the number 41 night bus; the number 11 running to Sa Indioteria and the number 4 Genoa bus. It would seem inconceivable that any line could actually lose passengers but it was indeed the case last year with the number 17 which ran between Ca'n Pastilla and Plaza de la Reina in Palma (now, this service only runs as far as Plaza España); the Son Riera number 18 service and the line which runs especially for the handicapped. Suburban routes became more popular last year with passenger numbers rising from 33.9 million in 2005 to 35.4 million last year.