The Balearic Transport Federation has asked the Council of Mallorca to delay the introduction of the 80 kilometres per hour speed limit on the Via Cintura in Palma until there are specific lanes for transport vehicles in both directions.
The federation has referred the Council to the current "master plan" for transport. This envisages the creation of lanes reserved for public transport and high occupancy vehicles in areas where there is traffic congestion, such as along the Via Cintura. These lanes, in the Andratx and airport directions, would guarantee "an improvement in the speed of public transport and, where appropriate, also of goods transport during specific periods".
To enable the Via Cintura lane, eleven kilometres long, the federation has proposed using the central reservation and narrowing existing lanes. Only once this is done, should the speed limit be reduced to 80 km/h.
The president of the federation, Rafael Roig, made the request to postpone the introduction of the speed limit - due to come into effect on February 1 - in a letter to the Council of Mallorca that was sent on January 11. He has yet to receive a response. The letter also asked for technical reports and information regarding complaints the Council has received; these are said to support the adoption of the new limit.
The federation also argues that improvements to the accesses to the Can Valero and Son Castelló industrial estates are "essential", especially the roundabout for the Gran Via Asima.