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.

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.

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.

Israel to hold a Road Pricing Experiment

The Transport Ministry and Finance Ministry in Israel yesterday announced that they will hold an experiment to examine the impact of road pricing on drivers.

A tender to find the company responsible for holding the road pricing experiment will be conducted by Derech Eretz.

The experiment will see 1200 drivers  volunteer to have their driving habits monitored, including the time and distance travelled, when journeys take place and where.  Each driver will be given $500 per year for participation to participate and will be charged for the journeys based on when, where and how far they travel.  The aim of the experiment is to see whether the cost of a journey impacts on a driver's behaviour on where and when to drive. 

The experiment could possibly lead to road charging schemes in order to reduce congestion levels in Israel.

Railway Workers in Israel could Strike on Wednesday and New Eye Test for Drivers

Railway Workers in Israel could Strike on Wednesday

Following the announcement last week by the Railways Workers Union in Israel that they may strike over the privatisation of Israel Railways, the Labour Court yesterday granted the Union permission to strike, but has required the Union and Israel Railways to conduct negotiations.

The next meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday after which the Union will decide whether to continue with the negotiations or begin a strike.


New Eye  Test for Drivers

Following the introduction of a new regulation in Israel,  from the beginning of 2012 citizens who are aged 40 or above will now be required to have a vision test every 10 years to maintain their driving licence.

The Ministry of Transport has therefore started sending out letters to drivers whose driving licences are due for renewal in 2012 and are aged 40 or over, to require them to have the new vision test before their licence can be renewed.  The new regulation was introduced following a study by the Gertner Institute for Medical Policy which found that drivers with impaired vision, may affect their ability to drive and endanger themselves and others.

The new regulation will also require drivers aged 70 and above to have an eye examination every 5 years.  Drivers aged 80 and above will require an eye test every 2 years.