PALMA
PALMA'S Local Police force in conjunction with the City Council's Transport Department, will introduce a plan to improve traffic fluidity in the Balearic capital in the next few weeks.
Antonio Donaire, of the City Council's Urban Security department, said yesterday that Palma's roads were currently very packed, with a high density of vehicles which has risen to 900 per thousand city residents.
Donaire, speaking during the presentation of the Local Police's 2006 Annual Report, stressed that the local authorities achieved a lot last year, and that the new city council is supporting a rigorous and quality service which will serve to free-up traffic in Palma.
He stated that, after reviewing last year's police reports, the traffic situation must be improved, because inhabitants should be the primary concern of the city, not vehicles. As a result, he announced that the two departments will work together to implement plans which will be based upon giving transport possibilities to Palma residents.
Also making an appearance at the Annual Report were Chief of Local Police, Nicolás Herrero, and police super-intendent Antoni Morey, who listed some of the statistics which affected their department during 2006. These included a car accident which led to the death of five friends. Many of the problems which we are encountering, like the increase in the number of accidents, are due to the fact that Palma has remained relatively small considering the type of city it has become, where we now practically live in vehicles, Donaire said, adding that the Local Police cannot prevent the increase in numbers of vehicles, because it would appear partisan. In total, the Local Police fined191'157 drivers in Palma during 2006, while 214'955 fines were given out the year before. Illegal parking accounted for the majority of offences, with 146'000 residents fined for parking infringements.