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Date Published: 21/11/2024

Spanish holiday hotspot restricts the number of tourist cars allowed on roads

The Balearic Island is planning drastic measures to limit the number of foreign vehicles on the roads

As the argument about so-called overtourism in Spain rages on, the Balearic Islands are taking centre stage with a dramatic proposal to crack down on the increasing number of holidaymakers, particularly those who arrive behind the wheel, visiting Mallorca.

This latest move comes as the result of a ‘load’ study carried out by the Island Council to determine how busy the roads are these days, both in the capital city of Palma and on the entire island of Mallorca.

The findings were clear: there are simply too many tourist vehicles on the road. As a result, the local government has put forward several proposals to limit the impact on the infrastructure and year-round residents.

What’s the problem?

According to the study, which is based on data from 2023, of the 829’000 vehicles circulating on Mallorca’s roads last year, an incredible 380,000 belonged to holidaymakers – that’s between 35% and 40% of the total on any given day and double what was recorded back in 2017.

The report also points out that the ideal maximum number of cars on the island (835,000) is about to be reached only with those that pay taxes in Mallorca, so from the Council’s point of view, it’s visitors that are causing the issues.

In fact, at one point last summer, there were almost a million vehicles on the roads, thanks to the huge influx of tourists during the high season.

So, what’s the solution?

Based on all of this stark evidence, the Island Council has drawn up a series of proposals which it plans to implement in the near future, none of which are going to prove popular with holidaymakers.

The first, and certainly most drastic, of the measures is to impose a limit on the number of foreign vehicles allowed on the roads at any given time. The idea is to give priority to the cars of Mallorcan residents, who are fed up with being stuck in traffic jams.

Less controversial is the government’s plan to encourage the use of more sustainable methods of transport, such as bicycles.

In addition, there are plans to implement up to 40 park-and-ride facilities, some of which are already up and running.

While it seems obvious that changes need to be made to avoid the usual traffic chaos of the Mallorcan summer, there can be little doubt that many of these proposals will grind the gears of holidaymakers.

In other news: British squatter destroys elderly couple's retirement dreams in Spain

Image: Pixabay

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