The courts dismantle the arguments of the Consell against the bus-HOV lane at the airport

PalmThe High Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) dismissed the appeal filed by the Council of Mallorca against the bus/HOV lane on the Palma airport motorway. The ruling acknowledges that the road belongs to the Council of Mallorca, but that This issue is fully compatible with the powers of the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) on traffic and road safety matters. In this way, it dismantles the arguments of the island institution and sides with the DGT.

Thus, the Administrative Court points to the ruling, which The DGT's decision is legitimate and was issued in the exercise of its powers.The judges consider that there are no grounds for eliminating this lane and emphasize the need to separate the interests of Palma's most vulnerable citizens—who are users of high-occupancy vehicles, especially public transport—from those of private vehicle users. Among other grounds, the Court indicates that the evolution of the accident rate is not related to the bus-HOV lane, since, according to data provided by both parties, the increase in accidents on this road is much lower than that of the Balearic Islands as a whole. The Council must pay 4,000 euros

Furthermore, the ruling indicates that the bus/HOV lane has reduced the total number of vehicles traveling on the Ma-19 by 17.4%. The High Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) dismissed the appeal and ordered the Consell de Mallorca to pay court costs up to a limit of 4,000 euros.

For her part, the spokesperson for the PSIB in the Consell de Mallorca, Catalina Cladera, celebrated the ruling. "We have always said that eliminating the lane is a mistake, and what Galmés should have done is sit down with the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) and find ways to improve it, not eliminate it." The Socialist spokesperson linked the ruling to the debate that arose in the extraordinary plenary session of the island institution this Tuesday, in which the The PP refused to support the bill presented by the Socialists and which they have already registered in Parliament. "Galmés' mobility policies are falling apart; this Tuesday it became very clear that the PP does not intend to pass any law, because Vox dictates what it must do in exchange for the votes that keep Galmés in power."

The spokesperson for the pro-independence movement in the island council, Catalina Inès Perelló, believes that Galmés's government "is more concerned with appeasing economic sectors than with defending the general interest." Furthermore, she referred to the proposed restrictions on rental vehicles in Mallorca, Galmés's flagship policy, and stated that "it's absurd to promise vehicle restrictions while simultaneously investing in more infrastructure designed for private cars."