If people do not start using the system more it will be difficult to justify its expansion

The Metro de Palma has managed to reach the 5,500 passengers a day mark during week days, a figure that is far removed from what was originally considered necessary to justify the construction of the suburban transportation system, reports the Diario de Mallorca. Currently the service remains below the number of users on some EMT lines, as in the case of linking the Pont d’Inca and Illetes.

The Regional Mobility body revealed that every weekday the subway has carried some 5,500 passengers since the beginning of the University year, a figure that drops to 1,500 on Saturdays and on 1,000 on Sundays – although at weekends there is only a service every half-hour compared with every 15 minutes during weekdays. These poor usage rates would seem to suggest there will be considerable difficulties reaching the target of 2 million customers a year.

To grasp the relative meaning of these figures during the typical day on 8 October EMT’s registered 28,002 bus passengers on the Pont d’Inca Illetes line, and 16,688 on the Platja de Palma route. That same day, 8 October, the EMT transported 5,264 people on its Universitat Palma line and 3,205 users in the Round of Urbana.

Taking into account the lower demand during the holiday period and weekends, the general manager of mobility, Antoni Verger, admitted that it will be difficult to achieve the two million users annual target, although he stressed that he is doing everything possible to boost the suburban transport service. As an example, he highlighted the link that has been established with the buses that tour the campus of the UIB and the shuttle service to the Parc Bit.

However, he did not conceal the fact that technicians consider the construction of a metro system, given the high cost involved, is justified only when the annual passenger figure is close to 20 million, well short of the expectations in place for Palma.

It is also worth remembering that the cost of construction and subsequent repairs following the floods which occurred has risen to 343 million euros, 46% more than the 235 million originally budgeted. (jh)