A group of twelve coastal municipalities have joined forces in creating a united front to try and deal with the type of traffic and parking chaos that affected beach areas this summer and so avoid a repetition next summer.
Among the towns are Campos, Manacor, Muro and Santa Margalida, and they are involving the Council of Majorca, the regional government and even national government in being able to take preventative measures. Under the auspices of Felib, the Balearic federation of local authorities, there has been a meeting with the head of the Costas Authority (part of the national environment ministry), Gabriel Pastor, and there is to be a Felib internal committee through which all actions to do with problems caused by parking in the affected areas are to be channelled.
There is one issue which causes particular problems not just for beachgoers but also for residents and town hall, and this is the fact that there is a variance in regulations by different administrations. Accordingly, the first meeting of representatives from the various towns has led to a call for the regional government and Council of Majorca to come up with a satisfactory solution to problems that have, for a number of years, affected the likes of Sa Rapita and Ses Covetes in Campos, Cala Varques in Manacor, Ses Casetes des Capellans in Muro and Colonia Sant Jordi, but which worsened this summer.
It has been noted that the increase in cars has led to situations of conflict between residents and visitors and also to increased media interest, which has not contributed to the conveying of a favourable image of certain coastal areas that are important for the tourism promotion of Majorca. Felib says that the ultimate objective is to arrive at a balance between environmental considerations, each town hall's regulations and safe access to beaches and coves.