Business and residents associations in Palma have responded to Mayor José Hila's assertion that the 'Palma Walks' plan is "unstoppable" by saying that it will be unstoppable in bringing about "economic ruin".
In a joint statement on Monday, they referred to the mayor's latest "authoritarian tic". As soon as posters against his mobility policy began to appear across Palma, his first response was to affirm that measures in the plan were "unstoppable".
Once again, they claim, the mayor's talk of low emissions is "all smoke and mirrors". "Palma is already a pedestrianised city. Most of the historic centre is restricted to traffic, and Palma complies with the standards set by climate change legislation for cities with more than 50,000 residents."
The associations that have combined to oppose the town hall's plan include those for small retailers and bars and restaurants as well as the federation of residents associations and more local neighbourhood groups.