As a Tuesday evening meeting in Sa Pobla was about to begin, a convoy of a dozen tractors entered the street to protest against Balearic Government plans for the rail extension to Alcudia.
The tractors signalled what was to be a tense gathering of some 300 people, at which the mobility director-general, Lorena del Valle, the manager of the SFM rail operator, José Ramón Orta, and four technicians presented the project and the two main proposed routes. One of these would involve a tunnel under the Puig Son Fe and the Puig Sant Martí.
There were repeated interventions of total rejection of the project as well as accusations of political and financial interests. A view was that the rail extension will only benefit Alcudia's hotels and tourists, while Sa Pobla land, in particular what is known as Sa Marjal, will be destroyed.
Sa Pobla has a high dependence on agriculture. One farmer said the rail extension "will plunge us into deeper hardship and misery". Joan Cantallops insisted that the farmers of Mallorca need a government that listens and that cares for farming families.
Residents highlighted the expropriation that will occur. One of the proposed routes will affect 240 properties. The other, which the government is leaning towards, will affect 130 properties.
At a meeting in Alcudia last week, the government and SFM heard similar objections, but with greater emphasis on the tourism implications. It was said that Alcudia will suffer ever greater tourist "saturation" because of the proposed extension.