The mobility department of the Formentera Council announces that this summer and next, the island's seasonal taxi fleet is one hundred per cent hybrid.

The measure represents a deepening of the Council's commitment to minimising carbon emissions with sustainable alternatives. Switching conventional vehicles on the island's taxi fleet for sustainable ones is just one strategy adopted by the Council to achieve that goal. Others include gradually upgrading the fleet of municipal vehicles as well, and the so-called fiscalitat verda (Catalan for “green taxation”) practice of offering reduced taxes for drivers of sustainable vehicles.

Seasonal taxis
This year not only has the Council issued more seasonal chauffeur permits, the season has become longer, too. With two new taxis joining the island's summer reinforcements this year and next, the seasonal fleet went from eight in 2016-2017 to ten.

In 2016 and 2017 islanders enjoyed just three months of expanded service (June 15 to September 15). That period has been extended to four months (June 1 to September 30). Of the ten seasonal taxis, five will be on the road from June to August and the remaining five are on duty from July to September. Hence, the adaptive service will be bolstered by the addition of five taxis in June and September and ten in July and August.

Twenty-five vehicles, two of which are accessible for individuals with reduced mobility, form the island's year-round fleet of taxis.

The island's Mitja Marató, or Half Marathon, will prompt multiple road closures this Saturday, May 12, affecting motorists and cyclists alike.

The 21K footrace begins at 5.30pm at la Mola lighthouse. Its 8K cousin gets going at the same time from kilometre marker 6.2 on the Sant Ferran highway.

The stretch of road connecting the town of el Pilar de la Mola and the nearby lighthouse will be closed to vehicle traffic from 3.00pm. Athletes who drive to the event will find parking at a special lot in el Pilar de la Mola and must cover the final two kilometres to the lighthouse on foot. A shuttle service at the end of the race will take participants from the finish line back to the car park. Access to the lighthouse will be restricted to buses and vehicles belonging to the event organisation. Parking at the lighthouse itself is absolutely prohibited. Any cars parked at the special car park before 3.00pm will be towed and their owners fined.

The main highway will be blocked between es Caló and la Mola from 4.30pm and between Sant Ferran and es Caló from 5.00pm. That is also when closures will take place on the stretch from la Savina to es Pujols and Sant Ferran.

Vehicle traffic can resume as soon as the final runners have passed. Organisers say they expect the last runners will reach the port of la Savina finish line between 7.30pm and 8.00pm.

The Formentera Council's mobility department announces that buses will operate on a special schedule to accommodate a nighttime concert following this Saturday's half marathon.

From 9.00pm to 2.15am, buses linking es Pujols with other towns and central points on the island will be available to islanders wishing to reach Los Mojinos Escozios's 11.30pm concert at plaça Europa.

Night bus service was hit upon as a way to provide transport for everyone, from locals to individuals who are just in town for the race. Two additional journeys at 1.15am and 1.35am will provide revellers overnighting on Eivissa a way to get from es Pujols to la Savina after the concert. Trasmapi has promised a 2.00am ferry passage to Eivissa specially for the event.

Riders on the night bus will be charged €4 for single and €6 for return tickets.

The Formentera Council's mobility office reports that Monday, May 14, operators will begin regimenting vehicle access to the Parc Natural de ses Salines. Formentera residents can continue to park vehicles at the reserve at no charge. Non-residents, meanwhile, will be asked to pay €4 per car and €2 per scooter.

Controlled access to parking areas near Illetes beach will be in force until September 30. At car parks serving es Cavall d'en Borràs and Llevant beaches, attendants will be on duty from June 1 to September 15. The patrolled entry points will be open from 9.00am to 5.00pm in the low season and 9.00am to 8.00pm in the heart of summer.

Prohibitions and vehicle restrictions
As part of an effort to foment sustainable forms of transport and safeguard the protected land, four-by-fours are expressly prohibited within the confines of the nature reserve. Plus, controlled access will be implemented for regular and discretional buses as a rush-hour traffic avoidance measure.

Oversized vehicles, such as lorries carrying products to nearby restaurants, are also restricted during peak visiting times. That measure will remain in place until September 30.