A residents' group, Indignats de la MA-10, is highly sceptical of the proposals to limit authorised rallies in the Tramuntana Mountains. These proposals are contained in the draft text for the planned Tramuntana Mountains Law, but the group insists that rallies (motorbikes and cars) should be banned and not just limited, as they are incompatible with the mountains' protected status.
The group is critical of the national government delegate in the Balearics, the president of the Council of Mallorca (Catalina Cladera) and the councillor for roads, Iván Sevillano - "they have disappointed us a great deal". Accepting that the speed limit on some sections of road in the mountains has been lowered, the group nevertheless feels that the relevant authorities "have worked hard ... to worsen the situation and have disclaimed all responsibility".
Indignats de la MA-10 has been protesting for years about illegal races in the mountains and says that on the very same day as the proposals were made public, there were "criminals racing at full speed ... just to show that they are in charge".
Meanwhile, the group notes that the authorities have so far not said "a single word" about the possible consequences of a complaint filed by the environmentalists GOB with ICOMOS, the body which oversees regulations in World Heritage Sites, of which the Tramuntana is one. GOB's complaint concerns activities contrary to conservation in the mountains, such as the races, and it was lodged because of "the inability of the Council of Mallorca to deal with this situation".
The group wants to know if the island authorities "support this complaint by the environmentalists or if they reject it, as they have said absolutely nothing about it".
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As somebody who cycles most days in the mountains I can tell two things: 1. Far too many motorcyclists speed in the mountains on a daily basis. Often in groups of 4-10 motorcycles. Worst at weekends. 2. I have never seen any evidence of the police trying to enforcement the speed limit with radar traps etc. 3. It is only a matter of time before one of these motorcycles kills a cyclist or group of cyclists.