Kalkan has a population of just over 3,000, which increases to around 10,000 in the summer, when the tourist season is at its peak.

You would imagine that all those Kalkan residents and visitors would justify a local bus service wouldn't you?

Unfortunately, the reality is that Kalkan does not have a local bus service, to speak of.  In this article, we ask why not.

Background
Kalkan is served by bus and coach operators, providing cheap inter-town travel, to places such as Kaş, Fethiye, and further afield.

However, for many years it never had a local bus service, operating between the outlying areas of Kalkan, and the town centre.

Things changed in August 2010, when, for the first time, we had a local minibus service, which operated in and around Kalkan town.  It transported passengers between the town centre and the surrounding areas of Kışla, Kömürlük and Kalamar.  This service was popular, and was used by Turkish people, as well as foreigners.

Last winter the service stopped, (except for a very small number of journeys), and everyone expected it to return for the 2011 season. 

The 2011 season
Sadly, it has not returned.  At the start of the season, KTLN asked the Belediye why not.  We were told that last year the service was provided by a single operator (KTT).  This year, two bus companies want to run a service, and we are informed that they can't agree on how to share the routes.

It is also apparent that the local taxi drivers are against the minibus service resuming.  There is no way of knowing what influence they are exerting in the background.  You will have to draw your own conclusions, as we have done, by talking to Turkish people in town.

The Belediye repeatedly told KTLN in April, May, June and July that a meeting was being arranged, between the bus operators to resolve the problem, but nothing appears to be happening. 

So here we are in August - more than half way through the tourist season, with hardly any local public transport, except for taxis, and a solitary, token dolmuş service to Kalamar.

You deserve better
KTLN thinks that Kalkan residents and visitors deserve better than this.  Similar towns along Turkey's Aegean and Mediterranean coast have such a service. 

Last month, KTLN wrote to the Ministry of Tourism in Antalya to ask why the residents and visitors to Kalkan should be treated in this way.  We had a holding reply, but so far, no answer.

Does anyone in authority care enough to do something about this?  We will let you know.

Kalkan Turkish Local News - your window on Kalkan Turkey

Katie-Ellen
Love KTLN.  Love Kalkan.