Three new speed cameras on Palma's Cathedral Street: More safety or a revenue source?

Three new speed cameras on Avenida Adolfo Suárez are active

If you've passed through the area around the cathedral in recent days, you'll notice it right away: on a stretch of only around 500 metres of the Avenida Adolfo Suárez, three new speed cameras have been monitoring the flow of traffic since the beginning of November. After a calibration phase, the devices are now active and recording speed violations.

The official justification — and the central question

The city administration speaks of a reaction to a cluster of accidents in this heavily frequented section. In the mornings and evenings commuters, tour buses, delivery vans, cyclists and pedestrians meet in close quarters. The central question that often gets short shrift in the debate is: Is this primarily about traffic safety — or does the revenue side also play a role?

The rumble of bus engines, the cathedral bells on the hour and the constant beeping of indicators are part of everyday life here. Many residents report dangerous lane changes and risky overtaking manoeuvres. At the same time, some doubt that spot speed cameras solve the core problem — they fear the risk will simply be displaced onto side streets.

Effects and side effects

In the short term, the radar stations are likely to lead to more speed control on the monitored section. Those who would otherwise "quickly" exceed 50 km/h must now expect a fine. For pedestrians and cyclists, the lower speeds at intersections can indeed bring noticeably more safety.

But there are side effects that often get lost in the public discussion: first, the so-called displacement effect — drivers who want to avoid the risk divert to parallel, often narrower streets. These residential roads are not designed for heavy through traffic and suffer from noise, exhaust and dangerous situations in front of schools and cafés. Second, it remains unclear how long the controls will remain in place and whether the city will earmark the revenues for traffic safety measures.

What's missing in the debate?

Transparency. Specifically, numbers are missing: accidents before and after the installation, speed distribution measurements, average fine amounts and information on whether the controls are time-limited. Without this data, the measure remains for many residents a black box that "collects money" — instead of being part of a long-term strategy.

Another point: urban design adjustments. Speed enforcement alone falls short. Narrower lanes, protected bike lanes, raised crosswalks or visual narrowings (so-called road humps or "chicanes") would permanently influence the behaviour of all road users — not only while the camera is watching.

Concrete proposals — what would make sense now

From a local perspective, a few pragmatic steps can be named that would bring more than spot controls:

1. Publish the data: The city should make accident statistics, measurement data and fines transparent. That builds trust.

2. Consider 30 km/h: In many old-town zones, a permanent limit of 30 km/h noticeably reduces the number and severity of accidents.

3. Physical measures: Access restrictions, lane narrowings, raised crossings and genuine protected lanes for cyclists prevent diversion traffic and slow things down.

4. Time-focused controls: Especially during morning and evening peaks, but also at school start times, increased enforcement and police presence could be useful.

5. Citizen participation: Information events with residents, shop owners and bus companies so that measures are accepted locally.

What you can do now

Practical advice for drivers: stay calm, allow a few extra minutes and pay attention to the new signs. For cyclists: keep your distance and watch intersections carefully. Those travelling by bus should expect slightly altered routes or waiting times if traffic redistributes.

Many voices from the neighbourhood are divided: some feel relieved and hope for fewer risky overtakes; others see the cameras mainly as a new revenue source. Realistically, both are possible — and that is precisely why Palma now needs more than just three boxes on the roadside: a visible strategy for liveable, safe streets.

And in the end, when the cathedral bell strikes seven again, one should not only ponder over fee-based photos, but over how a part of the city can be planned so that fewer people have a reason to speed.