With islands such as Ibiza cracking down on vehicle numbers on the island and Mallorca trying to agree on how best to limit vehicles entering the island in an attempt to tackle seasonal traffic congestion, there are fears that restrictions could make life for foreign property owners driving to Mallorca complicated and hinder their access to their properties.
Furthermore, the tourist rental association believes that the draft law limiting car entry to Mallorca will benefit the hotel sector. Representatives of HABTUR met with the head of Mobility of the Couvcil of Mallorca this week to examine the proposal that aims to restrict the arrival of vehicles. The association claims that its customers will have problems getting to their accommodation, especially in the case of rural properties.
HABTUR manager María Gibert says they will examine the draft, but insists that some of the measures included may end up benefiting the hotel industry. She points out that a hotel can charter a bus for its customers, meaning that visitors do not leave the premises and do not spend money on additional services.
The Department of Territory and Mobility is continuing to hold meetings with the sectors involved to present the draft. Fernando Rubio also announced that next week he will travel to Ibiza to see first-hand the impact that the regulation has had on the island. Ibiza, which this summer has applied a regulation for the first time that will not be ready in Mallorca for this high season. The centre-right Partido Popular Balearic government has to reach an agreement with the other parties in the Council to approve the initiative, which will then have to be debated in the Parliament.
Next week, the PP is expected to call on the other parties to try to reach an agreement. Rubio also hopes that all the sectors involved will join the initiative. All Balearic island councils are pushing ahead with their crackdown on traffic, although Mallorca appears to be in the slow lane with regards to deciding what action it will take.
However, Ibiza Council has proposed setting a maximum limit of 18,918 vehicles per day in circulation for the coming summer season, which is 1,250 fewer than last year’s authorised limit. Restrictions on vehicles entering Mallorca are due to be implemented this summer. The Balearic Parliament has to legislate on these restrictions, the proposals for which come from the Council of Mallorca. An obstacle to legislation is that the Council can’t agree on the measures.