Restrictions to apply to Playa de Palma “bicitaxis”

The so-called bicitaxis in Playa de Palma will only be able to operate on the front line in the future, while it will have to be ensured that they have all relevant types of safety and liability insurance.
Furthermore, they will only be able to operate a tourist service, so will not be able to act as a means of transporting from one place to another.
In other words, they cannot be like taxis and can only be pleasure rides.
These are the measures that Palma City Council is working on with a view that they should be implemented during the current season.
Assistant mayor with responsibility for transport, Joan Ferrer, and the councillor for public safety, Angelica Pastor, have promised taxi-drivers that there will be regulation of the bicitaxi activity.
This has caused problems since 2014, with taxi-drivers denouncing the unfair competition it has created.
At a meeting with taxi representatives, it was established that local police will ensure compliance in order to prevent this competition, but the council’s legal services first need to draw up regulations for the bicitaxis in order that the police can implement them as soon as possible.
Because of the problems that have been caused, including alleged attacks by taxi-drivers on bicitaxi riders, the whole issue is being treated as a priority. In addition, the Balearic law on transport will be applied to ban “motocarros” that operate in an illegal manner: this can be effected immediately as there is an existing regulation to cover this type of vehicle. Also, there will be a total ban on vehicles selling alcohol to passengers.
The council representatives also confirmed that they will use responsibilities that they have to prevent illegal competition to taxis at the airport.