All taxi associations in Majorca have agreed to take protest action against the government's plan to introduce bus services to certain tourist resorts this summer. The most drastic of the measures being proposed is to flood main roads across Majorca and streets in Palma with cars. This would be done on certain days from February to August and would be designed to bring traffic to a standstill.
"In addition to stopping nighttime service for the whole island, there will be massive concentrations of cars. These jams will be designed to put pressure on the government and make it realise that its plan makes no sense and puts at risk the future of more than 2,000 families," says Biel Moragues, president of the association for self-employed taxi drivers.
At a meeting on Tuesday all the taxi associations were represented as well as those from resorts affected by the bus service plan. Moragues stressed that the drivers won't be pressing their demands for just one or two months. "This will go on for a long time: from February right through the summer season. There is a great deal of upset because of what is happening."
Presidents of other associations made clear that the situation is very delicate but that there has to be forceful action. Antoni Bauzá of the taxi association within the CAEB confederation of business associations said that his members would start protests right away, but accepts that coordinated efforts by all associations will be more effective. "We will mobilise at an individual and collective level. It is inadmissible what is happening. The taxi sector is being 'cornered' for purely political and strategic reasons."
Antoni Cladera of the taxi association within Pimem suggested that other transport groups will join in. "They understand our complaints and are backing us."