British drivers and expats risk ‘chaos’ amid plans to launch car ban and tax in Spanish tourist hotspot

Charges will range between €30 (£25) and €80 (£67) depending on emissions and circulation time.

This measure forms part of the government’s broader sustainability agenda in line with the Pact for Economic, Social and Environmental Sustainability of the Balearic Islands.

It comes after the Majorcan town of Soller announced that it would only allow vehicles registered to residents to drive within designated zones.

The local government said it wanted to address issues stemming from tourism, including housing problems for locals.

Tourists were warned that the restrictions meant that hire cars must park outside the town’s central zones, which are reserved for resident-registered vehicles.

According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, local authorities and businesses are planning to develop new car parks to accommodate the expected demand from visitors.

A frequent tourist said: “Providing that there is parking I don’t think that there will be a problem, but if there is no parking then it could be a nightmare.”

One car hire firm highlighted that the larger issue with traffic was the poor layout of the roads, rather than cars being hired by tourists.

Othman Ktiri, CEO at OK Mobility, warned: “Anything that involves limiting the offer once the tourist has arrived in the destination would lead to greater chaos.”

Further measures have been put forward to potentially impact tourists visiting the region including extra charges for cruise ships and a new Sustainable Tourism Tax.

The tax will see significant changes under the new plan, which will see rates hiked substantially during June, July and August from €1 (84p) to €2.50 (£2.10) per day at the lowest rate.

The highest rate will jump from €4 (£3.36) to €6 (£5.04) during these peak months, with cruise ships facing the steepest increases, with their rate tripling from €2 (£1.68) to €6 (£5.04) per night.

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The regional government also plans to ban the granting of new rental licences for tourist apartments.

Existing permit holders will face stricter renewal requirements as penalties for illegal tourist accommodation will increase by 25 per cent, reaching up to €500,000 (£419,790).