Locals protest against Turkish island's 'monstrobuses'

Istanbul: Ibrahim Aycan has been waging all out war against the electric minibuses newly introduced on the car free island of Buyukada, which he says...

Istanbul: Ibrahim Aycan has been waging all-out war against the electric minibuses newly introduced on the car-free island of Buyukada, which he says threaten his corner of paradise on the southern shores of Istanbul.

"We live a peaceful life here," said Aycan, a lawyer and head of the Association of Friends of the Island.

"These vehicles sadden us. Let people walk and cycle!"

Buyukada is one of the Princes' Islands, a popular destination for tourists and a retreat for many of Istanbul's 16 million inhabitants.

Motor vehicles are prohibited on the islands, except for essential services, and even horse-drawn carriages were banned in 2020 to protect the local wildlife.