The future law for the Tramuntana Mountains will limit the number of motor sports events, the frequency of which has led to complaints from town halls and environmentalists.
This law deals principally with cultural and heritage issues in the mountains. Included among these are motor sports events. The Council of Mallorca's mobility and territory departments have therefore drafted a section of the law to cover these. The Council is putting the bill together, but it will need to be approved by the Balearic parliament.
Mayors have made regular complaints about these events - the number of them, the road closures, the short notice with which they are authorised, the poor information from organisers, and the lack of available police. One of the environmentalist groups, GOB, has pointed to the rubbish that these events generate, to illegal camping and to the fact that they take place in protected areas.
Mobility councillor Iván Sevillano said on Wednesday that the Council has been working on tackling anti-social behaviour in the Tramuntana that harms the well-being of residents as well as the environment. "With this legislation, we want to set limits to the number of motor events. This is a necessary measure to continue protecting the environment and the quality of life of the residents."
Maria Antònia Garcias, the councillor of territory, appealed for consensus in ensuring that this "World Heritage Site is free of noise and incivility".
Once the law is approved, it is likely that there will be a moratorium on staging these events until the precise framework of the legislation is fully defined.
While there is to be legislation to address organised events, there is also the ongoing problem of illegal races in the mountains.