The left-wing parliamentary group Més per Mallorca has once again called on the regional government to implement urgent measures to curb traffic congestion and improve public transport on the island. Eco-sovereignist MP Ferran Rosa issued the warning during the question time session with the regional transport minister, José Luis Mateo, criticising the lack of effective measures to contain tourism and its effects on mobility.
‘We are on the verge of a hellish summer for Mallorcans and we do not see a single measure to contain tourism,’ said Rosa, denouncing the fact that April has already seen serious traffic gridlock. The MP accused the regional government of implementing a policy of “social unrest” without real solutions or any desire for change: ’They are just hoping that the public's anger will fade with time.’
Més considers it essential to reactivate its bill to limit the entry of vehicles to the island, which was registered a year ago but has not yet been debated. They have also called for the introduction of a tax on rental cars and urgent improvements to public transport.
‘The government has lifted the moratorium on tourist places and has consolidated 90,000 holiday rental beds. While they talk about sustainability, they are promoting overcrowding,’ concluded Rosa, calling for a real shift towards a more sustainable and respectful model of tourism.
In 2023, according to the Council of Mallorca's mobility department, vehicles on the island's roads travelled 8.67 billion kilometres, a figure that is expected to increase three to four per cent each year. The average daily traffic intensity in Mallorca in 2023 was 13,767. But this is a figure which varies greatly depending on the road. On the Via Cintura in Palma, for instance, it is 186,000 vehicles, while on secondary roads in the interior it is 700-800 vehicles per day. For the councillor for mobility, Fernando Rubio, the figures are "unsustainable", hence why the Council will be looking to limit vehicle traffic from 2026.
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ChrisAnd reduce the number of hotels = a reduction in the number of hotel workers who come here from elsewhere = a reduction in the number of cars.
This is a problem driven by growth in the residential population, growth in tourist numbers and growth in the number of cars per household. A combo of measures is needed to make a real difference - such as: 1. limit the number of rental cars; 2. seek to reduce the number of cars per resident household by applying a punitive tax on the 2nd and 3rd car in the household; 3. implement a daily congestion charge (akin to the one in central London that has made a huge difference) in the worst affected areas. 4. improve the public transport network. Change is possible - just look at the huge differences measures like these have made in central London and Singapore. These areas were previously gridlocked, but today the traffic flows freely through the day.
It's a global problem that Mallorca will not defeat. More tourists = more transport = more revenue
Mallorca must accept there are too many cars on a small Island. More new cars and Hire Cars flood on to the roads every Season. Plus Tourist vehicles arriving on the Ferry's. Serious urgent action is needed NOW, NOT NEXT YEAR. Perhaps Congestion charging, Cameras photographing the Cintura and issuing road charges. The Buses are free for Residents. So leave the car at home and use the Bus.
Its turned into a tourist problem again, yet the MA 1 is a nightmare anytime of the day at present, now the workers are going to the resorts. Simple solution. Put traffic light on the slip roads joining the via centura, then let buses flow freely to and on the motorway, also up the services. The town and resorts will clog up which makes people more inclined to get on a bus. Workers, school kids, resort staff , all using cars, need viable alternatives