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Thursday, 26 January 2012

Tel Aviv to Eilat Railway to be approved by Government in Israel

Israel National News is reporting that Israel's Government is expected to next week approve the proposed train line between Eilat and Tel Aviv.

It is expected that the railway line, which has an estimated budget of over 7 billion Shekels, will either be a national project, built by a private franchisee or developed in collaboration with China.

It is understood that a collaboration with China is the preferred option of Israel's Transport Ministry, where a Chinese Government company would construct the railway.

Once complete the railway would allow journeys between Tel Aviv and Eilat in just over two hours.




Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Is the Rav Kav Smart Card infringing on Human Rights in Israel?

Is the Rav Kav Smart Card infringing on Human Rights in Israel?

The new Rav-Kav smart card now required to be used by public transport users in Israel may infringe the human rights of passengers, Haaretz is reporting.  Human rights are concerned that the Transport Ministry in Israel may be infringing the privacy of bus passengers in Israel by requiring passengers to provide personal details to receive the card including a photograph, name, age, address and identity card number.

When all the personal information is collated in the database together with the travel patterns of passengers, questions may be raised about the protection of the rights of passengers using the Rav Kav cards.  There are currently half a million Rav Kav cards in use in Israel.  Human Rights groups are therefore calling for guideline to be put in place to protect the information of public transport users.




Monday, 23 January 2012

Soldiers banned from using trains during the Sunday Morning Rush Hour, Road 1 into Jerusalem to be widened

Soldiers banned from using trains during the Sunday Morning Rush Hour


In order to save the IDF money and to relieve the heavy crowding on Israel’s trains on Sunday mornings, when thousands of soldiers use the rail lines to return to their bases after weekends off, soldiers were yesterday banned for the first time from using Israel Railways between 6am and 9am on Sunday mornings.  Instead soldiers are being encouraged to use 'free army buses' which are running from train stations.


What are your views on this, did it make your journey better?  Are your a soldier that is suffering from this new policy?  Leave a comment.






Road 1 into Jerusalem to be widened


Following the initial Government approval in April 2011, Haaretz has reported that the Supreme Court has given the go-ahead to the project, by rejecting complaints into the construction of the wider and improved road leading into Jerusalem


The construction is likely to take four years to complete, which will see new bridges and tunnels built to make the journey into and out of Jerusalem easier and quicker, by removing many of the steep hills and sharp corners between Shar Hagai and the entrance to Jerusalem.



Thursday, 12 January 2012

New Bus Routes in Jerusalem begin tomorrow (Friday 13 January 2012)


Following the introduction of the Light Rail Line in Jerusalem last year, bus routes will start to be overhauled in Jerusalem from Friday 13th January 2012.

The bus network will see a number of changes over future months with the  existing routes travelling through many neighbourhoods being replaced by shorter .  These new routes will aim to bring residents from suburban neighbourhoods within Jerusalem to connection stops either on the Light Rail Line or the Rapid Bus Transport Routes, with an increasing number of transfers involved for passengers' journeys.

The changes to the first set of 22 bus routes will begin from 13th January 2012 in south west Jerusalem and should see fewer buses using the congested Agripas Street.
Map Showing the new bus routes and connections to the Light Rail.

The Transport Ministry in Israel has announced the following new routes.

Full details of changes can be found at the Jerusalem Transport website.

Route 5 (Ramat Hakerem - Homot Shemuel) - This bus route will be connect to the Light Rail Line at Yaffa Noph and will not go through the Central Bus Station.
Route 9 ( Central Bus Station - Givat Ram) - This will be rerouted to go through Givat Moshe and the Government Complex.
Route 12 (East Talpiot - Hadassah Ein Kerem) - This will go via the Patt Junction.
Route 13 ( Talpiot Industrial Zone - Katamon - Central Jerusalem) - This will be rerouted in the city centre.
Route 13a (Givaatt Mashoar - Har Herzl) - This will be a new bus line.
Route 14 (Malha - Central Bus Station) - This will be a new bus line.
Route 16 (Bayit V'Gan - Har Hozim) - The bus route will change slightly.
Route 18 (Malha Train Station - Central Bus Station) - The bus route will no longer include Kiryat Yovel.
Route 20 (Givaatt Mashoar - Har Herzl) - This will connect to Mount Herzl Light Rail Station.
Route 21 (Ramat Sharet - Talpiot Industrial Zone) - This will connect the two Light Rail Stations.
Route 23 (Science and Arts Institute - Mount Herzl) - This will be a new short route.
Route 24 (Stern - Mount Herzl) - This will follow the old Route 18 to Mount Herzl Station.
Route 24a (Malha Train Station - Mount Herzl) - This will be a new short route.
Route 26 (Stern - Mount Herzl) - A new short route.
Route 27 and 27a (Hadassah Ein Kerem/Even Saphir - Mount Herzl) - These will be new short routes.
Route 28 (Shachrai Street - Ein Karem) - This will be slightly rerouted to connect to a Light Rail Station Yaffa Nof.
Route 29 - This will be replace Route 54.
Route 33 (Glia - Har Nof) - This will be slightly rerouted to the Yaffa Nof Light Rail Station.
Route 39 and 39a (Bayit V'Gan - Har Hozvim) - This will be slightly rerouted to the Yaffa Nof Light Rail Station.
Route 40 - This will replace Route 36.
Route 49a  - This will replace Route 59.
Route 50 Beit Hakerem) - The bus line around Beit Hakerem will be slightly changed.
Route 69 ( Mount Scopus - Central Bus Station - Givat Ram) - This will be a new bus line servicing Ammunition Hill Light Rail Station.
Route 150 (Aminadab - Aora - Mount Herzl) - This will be a shorterned route.


Tender Published for Tel Aviv Light Railway Tunnels

NTA - Metropolitan Mass Transit Ltd has today published the tender for the digging of tunnels for the two lines of the Tel Aviv Light Railway.

The tendering process is due to close on 27 March 2012, with the total cost of the project expecting to be several billion Shekels, which will require two parallel 11km tunnels and a 4.6km tunnel to be built.

The first Light Rail line in Tel Aviv is due to open in 2017 to be followed in 2020 by a second line.



Tuesday, 10 January 2012

Rail Workers in Israel again strike over Rail Privatisation - Strike Could Continue Wednesday

Rail workers in Israel this week restarted their industrial action yesterday in protest at Government plans to privatise Israel Railways.  If talks do not progress today it is expected to again hit rail routes tomorrow.  This was a continuation of the protest which began last September.

The Government is planning to agree further contracts with Caterpillar and Bombardier for maintenance of railways


Wednesday, 4 January 2012

New Eye Test for Drivers in Israel and Tender Published for Development of Route 85 in Northern Israel

New Eye  Test for Drivers

A new regulation in Israel came into force this week which requires all drivers over the age of 40 to have a vision test before renewing their driving licence. IsraelTransport reported on the requirement in September 2011.


Tender Published for Development of Route 85 in Northern Israel


The Transport Ministry and the National Roads Authority has this week published a tender for the development of Route 85 in Northern Israel designed to improve connections across the Gaililee and Central Israel.

The estimated cost of the project is Five Hundred Million Shekels.

Tuesday, 3 January 2012

New Bus Routes in Jerusalem begin tomorrow (Friday 13 January 2012)

Following the introduction of the Light Rail Line in Jerusalem last year, bus routes will start to be overhauled in Jerusalem from Friday 13th January 2012.

The bus network will see a number of changes over future months with the  existing routes travelling through many neighbourhoods being replaced by shorter .  These new routes will aim to bring residents from suburban neighbourhoods within Jerusalem to connection stops either on the Light Rail Line or the Rapid Bus Transport Routes, with an increasing number of transfers involved for passengers' journeys.

The changes to the first set of 22 bus routes will begin from 13th January 2012 in south west Jerusalem and should see fewer buses using the congested Agripas Street.
Map Showing the new bus routes and connections to the Light Rail.

The Transport Ministry in Israel has announced the following new routes.

Full details of changes can be found at the Jerusalem Transport website.

Route 5 (Ramat Hakerem - Homot Shemuel) - This bus route will be connect to the Light Rail Line at Yaffa Noph and will not go through the Central Bus Station.
Route 9 ( Central Bus Station - Givat Ram) - This will be rerouted to go through Givat Moshe and the Government Complex.
Route 12 (East Talpiot - Hadassah Ein Kerem) - This will go via the Patt Junction.
Route 13 ( Talpiot Industrial Zone - Katamon - Central Jerusalem) - This will be rerouted in the city centre.
Route 13a (Givaatt Mashoar - Har Herzl) - This will be a new bus line.
Route 14 (Malha - Central Bus Station) - This will be a new bus line.
Route 16 (Bayit V'Gan - Har Hozim) - The bus route will change slightly.
Route 18 (Malha Train Station - Central Bus Station) - The bus route will no longer include Kiryat Yovel.
Route 20 (Givaatt Mashoar - Har Herzl) - This will connect to Mount Herzl Light Rail Station.
Route 21 (Ramat Sharet - Talpiot Industrial Zone) - This will connect the two Light Rail Stations.
Route 23 (Science and Arts Institute - Mount Herzl) - This will be a new short route.
Route 24 (Stern - Mount Herzl) - This will follow the old Route 18 to Mount Herzl Station.
Route 24a (Malha Train Station - Mount Herzl) - This will be a new short route.
Route 26 (Stern - Mount Herzl) - A new short route.
Route 27 and 27a (Hadassah Ein Kerem/Even Saphir - Mount Herzl) - These will be new short routes.
Route 28 (Shachrai Street - Ein Karem) - This will be slightly rerouted to connect to a Light Rail Station Yaffa Nof.
Route 29 - This will be replace Route 54.
Route 33 (Glia - Har Nof) - This will be slightly rerouted to the Yaffa Nof Light Rail Station.
Route 39 and 39a (Bayit V'Gan - Har Hozvim) - This will be slightly rerouted to the Yaffa Nof Light Rail Station.
Route 40 - This will replace Route 36.
Route 49a  - This will replace Route 59.
Route 50 Beit Hakerem) - The bus line around Beit Hakerem will be slightly changed.
Route 69 ( Mount Scopus - Central Bus Station - Givat Ram) - This will be a new bus line servicing Ammunition Hill Light Rail Station.
Route 150 (Aminadab - Aora - Mount Herzl) - This will be a shorterned route.


Monday, 2 January 2012

Price of New Car and Public Transport has increased in Israel

The price of a new car in Israel has increased with the turn of the new year, Globes reports, as due to the weakening of the Israeli Shekel against world currencies, vehicle importers have had to increase the price of a car in order to maintain their profit margins.

The cost of a Mazda 3 or Ford Focus has increased by around 3000 Shekels.

The 1 January 2012 also saw the price of gasoline increase to 7.23 Shekels a litre, while bus and train prices increased by about 3%.