Mallorca bursts at the seams: Auto limit for tourists comes!

Mallorca bursts at the seams: Auto limit for tourists comes!

Mallorca, Spanien - The Balearic Island of Mallorca is facing increasing challenges due to the increased car traffic in recent years. The island council is now planning a decisive measures to regulate the number of vehicle in order to preserve both the quality of life of the locals and the tourist attractiveness of the island. More than 379,000 rental cars were brought to Mallorca in 2023-an increase of 108 percent compared to 2017. This development was reason enough for the island council president Llorenç Galmés to present the plans for future car restrictions and to point out the problem.

A central point of the planned mobility law is that real estate owners who do not live permanently in Mallorca may only have a tax registered on the island. This measure could, for example, mean that the Ochsenknecht family can no longer travel to the island with a second car. The island council also wants to introduce an upper limit for rental cars to control the increasing number of vehicles.

background and planned measures

As early as 2023, the traffic load on the streets of Mallorca was classified as critical. Experts estimate that between 90,000 and 120,000 cars are too much on the island. In the high season, especially on top days in August, up to 1.3 million trips are recorded, including up to 75,000 rental cars. With the new law, the Inselrat is planning a consultation to include various associations and private individuals in the process before it can be adopted on the island council and Balearic Sea Parliament.

The initiative is based on a comprehensive traffic study from the summer of 2023, which defines the framework conditions for the new regulations. Based on the Formentera neighboring island, Mallorca not only strives to reduce the vehicles, but also the introduction of a tax for vehicles that are not approved in Mallorca. In a high phase, these actual measures could take effect from summer 2026, but still have to go through various instances before the exact details are set.

political reactions and challenges

The proposal for the introduction of an auto limits has found both support and resistance in the political landscape. In particular, the right-wing VOX party has expressed concerns and spoke out against an import restriction for vehicles. This means that no auto limit can be introduced in 2025. Despite these political hurdles, the majority of the parties in the island council and state parliament show their support for the regulation of car traffic and the associated challenges.

Insum Mallorca has taken clear steps to promote more sustainable and efficient traffic on the island. With the planned law, the traffic conditions in Mallorca could improve noticeably and at the same time the concerns of the locals could be taken seriously. The coming months will show whether the island council can successfully implement its plans.

For a detailed overview of the current developments and the planned measures, we refer to the articles of The island newspaper .