European funding given to start the Parc Bit metro extension

The Balearic Government has successfully obtained European funding so that can begin the works that will start the Parc Bit metro extension. The announcement came this morning 12 November by the president of the Government, Francina Armengol, accompanied by the mayor of Palma, Jose Hila. Also at the ceremony were the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Catalina Cladera and councillors Josep Mari and Miquel Company. 
The allocation coming from Brussels is almost 25 million euros. Of this, 80% of this budget or around 21.6 million will be solely dedicated to completing the project to expand the underground transport until the line reaches Parc Bit. The line will be extended from the centre of Palma to the technological area, both overground and underground, and the journey will take 15 minutes. 
Josep Mari explained that the project was part of a mobility plan approved previously and one that is considered a priority. This is due to the fact that the majority of the 3,000 people who travel to Parc Bit every day do so in a private vehicle. Now there will be accessible public transport to get to the area instead. 
The tender for the works will go out in March or April of 2022, and the works themselves should last for around one year. The new Palma metro line is expected to be completed by mid-2023. Originally the plans were to be paid out of the public purse but those funds went towards the fight against the pandemic, but now new funding has been secured to start the Parc Bit metro extension. 
The president of the government clarified the extension does not mean giving up other projects, such as building the tram line that goes to Palma airport. They stated that these are independent projects and there is also an application for European funding that has been completed for financing the tramline.
 

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