In April, the number of hire cars registered in the Balearics increased by 57% compared with the same month last year.
Figures compiled by the consulting firm MSI for the Feneval national federation of vehicle rental companies indicate that there were 1,058 registrations in the Balearics in April. This was the third highest number in Spain behind Valencia with 6,628 and the Madrid region with 21,546. The 57% increase in the Balearics contrasts with a national 12.8% - 31,382 hire-car registrations in April.
Given all the discussion about hire cars on the islands and their contribution to traffic congestion, the 1,058 may not sound like a high figure. In overall terms it isn't. These are vehicles registered in the Balearics (and registration tax is paid) and which then become subject to road tax in whichever municipality they are registered.
What Feneval doesn't show are the numbers of hire cars shipped to the Balearics from the mainland and which are not registered for road tax in the Balearics - the overwhelming majority of the hire cars on Balearic roads. In general, the large car-hire operators register vehicles in municipalities with low tax, lower than in Balearic municipalities. The Madrid region has municipalities with the lowest road taxes in the country.
The Council of Mallorca, which intends introducing limits on the number of vehicles entering the island as from next year, estimates that for this year there will be around 100,000 vehicles that are not registered in Mallorca. This figure covers privately owned vehicles from the mainland and other countries as well as hire cars.
For years, there have been calls to provide accurate figures for the number of hire cars, but no accurate figures have ever been produced. This is one of the challenges that the regional government's sustainability pact and the Council's carrying capacity study have sought to address.
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Ulla JacksonSorry should be a correct number
Do they ever have an accusation number from hire cars, non registration on the island, to empty houses, etc etc etc.? Everytime they seem to pluck the numbers in the air, depending what aim and result they want.