Mallorca, the island of longing - but the traffic jam of longing is long, and has been for years. There is no question that Mallorca has a serious traffic problem. So a solution had to be found: a vehicle limit for cars and motorcycles crossing to the island by ferry. That sounds like order and calm - but anyone looking forward to less traffic soon will have to be patient. Because it looks like the island council is staying in the rear-view mirror for the time being: The limit will probably not take effect until 2026 at the earliest. Such is the way of the mills of bureaucracy.
At an initial meeting of the Mobility Commission, which is to enforce the limit, Llorenç Galmés, President of the Island Council, explained that the regulations are still a long time in the making. They want to have the concept ready "as soon as possible". But that first means: draft, internal approval in the Island Council, then the Balearic Parliament. So for now, everything remains the same.
Second home owners and the eternal question of the way out
This naturally raises the question for many people who are only visiting for the summer: am I even affected? On Formentera, where a similar limit has been in place since 2019, owners of a second home are only allowed to bring a maximum of one vehicle that is not registered on the island. And this should also be exempt from fees. Mallorca now wants to examine whether a similar model could be adopted. But which commission exactly and when? We'll have to wait and see.
The ferry companies also have to adapt and inform their guests about the upcoming restrictions when they buy their tickets. Rental cars, especially those that clog up the island in the summer months, are the main target of the new plan - there should be fewer of them in future. And it remains to be seen whether this is really that simple.
A flood of traffic - and more and more cars
A recent study commissioned by the People's Party (PP) paints a clear picture: In 2023, almost 380,000 vehicles came to Mallorca via the ferries - that's 108 percent more than in 2017. Almost 34,000 of these vehicles stayed on the island permanently. In the period from 2020 to 2023, almost 110,000 additional cars and motorcycles permanently polluted the roads. A serious problem, because with the current 956,660 vehicles in the peak summer travel season, the island needs one thing above all else - patience.
Consensus - with one outlier
Despite all the difficulties, most parties are behind the idea of tackling the flood of traffic on the island. Only the far-right Vox opposes the measures, but a broad consensus seems to be secured. And the vehicle limit is probably just the beginning. However, it remains to be seen whether this new strategy will actually be effective.
The quiet hope
Mallorca is struggling with its own successes. The rising number of visitors brings money and stress - a balancing act that has long preoccupied those responsible on the island. Now it remains to be seen whether the bureaucratic plans will really pick up speed or continue to be bogged down. After all, a lot can still happen between now and 2026 - the limit seems to be coming, but anyone hoping for quick results will have to be patient.
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