Trying to book a taxi to come on time in Palma has been virtually impossible for the past few months. I, for example, have had to postpone two medical appointments due to booked taxis either arriving late of f ailing to arrive at all. Plus recently there have been complaints of long queues for taxis at Palma airport.
And now, the Balearic Islands Taxi Business Association has threatened to launch protests against the joint taxi service zone in eight municipalities in the areas of the Bay of Palma and the Serra de Tramuntana, which will begin operating in four of the from today, Wednesday.
The president of the association, Antoni Bauzà, has expressed his ‘indignation and rejection’ of a measure that, he claims, has not been agreed upon by the entire sector. At least not with them, who represent around 25% of workers, according to a statement issued.
Bauzà criticised the regional government for only taking into account the opinion of other associations ‘that have always played into the hands of the politicians in power’. This regulatory measure, which will come into force on Wednesday in Palma, Calvia, Esporles and Valldemossa and will be extended to Llucmajor, Deya, Puigpunyent and Bunyola in the coming weeks, is nothing more than a ‘botched agreement’, he criticised.
Bauzà has also opposed the implementation of the single urban fare, which includes price increases, linked to this special collection regime. He said that that despite his attempts to meet with the Regional Minister for Housing, Territory and Mobility, José Luis Mateo, and the President of the Balearic Government, Marga Prohens, he has received no response. In a statement, the Balearic Islands Taxi Business Association warned that, in view of this ‘contempt shown by the regional government’ towards them, at their next general meeting ‘a calendar of protests will be proposed’.