12/08/2013 00:00
TW
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Palma.—The decision was taken first thing yesterday morning by SFM bosses in order to prevent any further accidents.
The victim, a 16-year-old, remained in Son Espases Hospital in a critical condition yesterday while a full investigation into the incident was opened.
As soon as the decision to close the crossing was taken, a team of constructors was on the scene, blocking off the crossing which residents have apparently been complaining about for years.

While the work was carried out, SFM security guards and members of the Local Police made sure that no body used the crossing.
Promised bridge
At midday, however, SFM boss Jose Ramon Orta and Palma City Councillor, Joan Pau Reus, met a group of local residents at the scene to listen to their concerns.

They complained about the crossing being closed off and called for the bridge, which has been in the planning stage for years, to be finally built. Both Orta and Reus gave assurances that the walkway will be built, as planned , but were unable to give any time scale for the project.

For local residents the small crossing was a vital access route for people living in Son Fuster and Son Cladera.
It was used by scores of people every day heading for calle Aragon to catch buses to go to work, accompany their children to school and go shopping.
Now that the crossing has been closed, it is going to be a very long way round for many people who until now have been used to enjoying easy access to key services and facilities. Locals now have a choice of two other level crossings but both are nearly two kilometres away - hence why the local community want their walkway and as soon as possible.

Political storm
The incident has stirred up a political storm.
The PSM Majorcan Nationalist Party called for the crossing to be reopened while the PSOE Socialist said that instead of spending three million on the convention centre boulevard, that money would be better spent on improving level crossing security.