Image: neme_jimenez / Shutterstock.com.
The mobility ministry of the Balearic Government plans to boost the budget for bus services in Mallorca by €150 million.
The boost will help expand public bus transport availability by 50 per cent.
The contract changes are anticipated to span the next six years.
New Buses
The proposed 50 per cent increase in service availability and the heightened budget will not solely be attributed to the addition of new buses, 27 in total, raising the fleet to 257.
There will also be modifications to the distance covered under existing contract terms, amounting to as much as eight million kilometres.
Currently, there are 71 routes.
Free Public Transport
The introduction of ‘free’ public transport for residents, coupled with a rise in tourist numbers, has significantly increased demand, leading to complaints about crowded buses and inadequacies on certain routes.
For the summer season of 2024, frequency enhancements were made on 24 routes, and a new line connecting Santa Ponsa to Esporles was introduced. Additionally, during the winter season (November 1 to March 31), frequencies on 27 routes have been increased.
Passenger Numbers
From January to August of this year, passenger numbers surged by 3.7 million compared to the same period in 2023 (when bus services were already free), bringing the total to 19.4 million passengers over those eight months.
