The Balearic ministry for Public Works and Transport announced yesterday, that it will assign a maximum of 1.15 million euros for the renovation of fleets of coaches and other vehicles, that ferry passengers throughout the Balearics by road This resolution was published yesterday in the Official Bulletin of the Balearic Islands (BOIB), confirming subsidies for purchasing new vehicles.
This financial commitment is part of the government's intentions of making a a transport system of quality available to the public.
In order for it to be attractive to commuters, the service's essential features will be safety, comfort, respect for the environment and convenience. In the draft bill for the 2004 budgets, a sum of 1'155'979.26 euros has been assigned for the project. Included in this amount is 80'000 euros to be paid jointly by the central and the Balearic governments.
IMPROVEMENTS
The funding will be allocated to the purchase of new vehicles licensed to carry more than nine passengers, the installation of mechanisms for handicapped access and other improvements aimed at modernising the fleet. In an effort to encourage more people to use public transport, the previous government introduced a series of shuttles, linking outlying villages to the nearest railway station. This service, although popular, has not done much to reduce the traffic on the roads, however.
The buses providing the service to outlying towns and villages are based mainly at the new bus station behind the Inca railway station and in Calle Eusebio Estada.
Upgraded service for coach travellers