A town loved by British tourists has a drastic new plan to stop parking chaos. The local authorities in Soller, Majorca, has announced plans to create 300 more parking space following problems with bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Soller Town Hall said the spaces will be added to land adjacent to the ‘Desvio’ – detour – road, which is the main road through the sunny Spanish town. Last year, 200 temporary spaces were created. That number is expected to increase to 508 in March.
By Easter, there will be three car parks in the same area, Soller Town Hall announced. The local authority has offered to rent the plots, one of which – Can Tinet – was established last year and will now be expanded to 172 spaces in total.
Cen Cera will join the other two car parks in making way for more space for vehicles which have until now parked on both sides of the two-kilometre stretch of road and caused traffic jams, according to Majorca Daily Bulletin.
Renting these plots is expected to set Soller Town Hall back £108,000 over two years. Motorists will be required to pay to park.
Once up and running, parking along the main road will be banned. A partial ban came into force last year. According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, fences may be installed along the road to prevent car pulling up.
Soller is a small down located near the north west coast of Majorca and has a population of around 14,000. The town is known for its citrus and olive groves. It is a popular tourist hotspot.
Majorca is also intensifying efforts to control a growing raccoon population native to North America. The animal continues to spread across the island, threatening local wildlife and public health.
The Balearic government has ramped up its response, with increased trapping efforts and surveillance in affected areas, but experts warn that total eradication may no longer be possible.
Raccoons were first reported in Majorca in 2006, and their numbers have surged since then. The animals, known for their adaptability and opportunistic feeding habits, have found the island’s mild climate and abundant food sources ideal for rapid population growth.
Over the years, sightings have been reported across 14 municipalities, with the highest concentrations in the Serra de Tramuntana and the coastal areas of Calvià and Andratx. One of the biggest concerns surrounding the raccoon invasion is Majorca’s lack of natural predators.
In their native North American habitats, raccoons face threats from coyotes, bobcats, and large birds of prey. But in Majorca, they are at the top of the food chain, allowing their numbers to expand unchecked.