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%.

Gasoline Prices to rise in Israel on Thursday

Gasoline prices are due to rise in Israel this Thursday at the beginning of September, because of a 20 agurot a litre increase in gasoline tax.  This rise was delayed a month from August as a result of the social demonstrations in Israel.  The Government says this tax rise is needed to cover the costs of its projects.

Gasoline Prices to rise in Israel on Friday

Gasoline prices are to rise in Israel on Friday 1 April  2011 by an expected 2.7% according to ynet.  This is a result of the increasing cost of oil on the international markets - as a result of the continue instability in Arab countries -which is causing gasoline prices to rise around the world.  This would see prices rising from 7.3 shekels a litre to 7.43 or 7.5 shekels a litre.  The price of gasoline has continued to rise throughout 2011.

The price of gasoline is Israel is determined at the beginning of every month based on a formula which uses petrol prices in Italy and France.  The prediction of a 2.7% increase in the cost of petrol in Israel could change depending on how petrol prices changes across Europe.

Train Tickets are cheaper from today but Gasoline Prices Rise again today, Road Safety in Israel

Train Ticket Prices cut today


Israel Katz the Transport Minister, today cut the price of monthly train tickets in Israel by 11.5% a month earlier than expected.  The reduction will increase the discount on monthly train tickets to 42.5% from the current discount of 35%. The cost for subscribers will be based on 23 trips, instead of the current 26 trips.


Individual fares will also be cut by 3.2% on the Beer Yaakov-Rishonim-Tel Aviv and Rehovot-Tel Aviv lines.




Gasoline Prices Rise Again Today


The yo-yo gasoline price has continued again today with prices rising to 7.30 Shekels as a result of global oil prices rising following the Arab States instability.  This follows the recent cut in tax for gasoline in Israel after the popular protests caused by the rise in tax on gasoline at the beginning of 2011.


Improving Road Safety in Israel


The Israeli Government is publicising how it is working to improve road safety in Israel.  This  includes drivers having stickers on the back of their vehicle asking how good their driving is, which allows people to phone up a control centre and report bad driving.  The Government is also supporting the road safety 'People in Red' NGO.




West Bank's Transport Coordinator retires


After 44 years of organising the management  of roads and transport services in Israel's West Bank, Nahum Gabay, the transport coordinator has retired according to Arutz Sheva.  Nahum Gabay was responsible for 1,400 km of Israel controlled roads in the West Bank, 15 traffic lights, 3000km of safety railings and over 200 public transport routes.

Israel wants more electric cars, More cars hit the Jerusalem Tram and Gasoline Prices to rise again - Thursday 24th February 2011

Israel wants more electric cars


Uzi Landau - the National Infrastructure Minister in Israel - has said that it is a mission of Israel  to create an "open, competitive and safe market (for electric cars) that will meet international standards and place the consumer in the center."  The Minister is looking for their to be other suppliers of electric cars as well as the Israeli company Better Place, acccording to Globes.




More cars hit the Jerusalem Tram

In two seperate incidents yesterday the Jerusalem Post reports cars jumped the traffic lights in Jerusalem on and hit trains which were being tested on the new light rail line Jerusalem. This follows an earlier crash this month.  City Pass have said this is the second incident during testing as a resulting of drivers jumping red lights.
 

EL AL Staff

Globes is reporting that EL AL and the Histadrut Union have agreed improved conditions for their employees.
 

Gasoline Prices in Israel

Despite the decision of the  Government in Israel to reduce the tax on gasline prices this month, Israeli motorists are likely to be hit by rising petrol prices again in March.  Haaretz is reporting that as a result of the instability in Libya the price of oil has increased which is likely to push prices up by 2.5% in March.

Petrol Prices fall, Toll Road Extended and Road Safety - News Monday 14th February 2011

Gasoline Prices Lowered Today


As reported on Friday following public pressure the Government removed the VAT increase on petrol today, which they had introduced on 1 January 2011.  The price of 95 gasoline has therefore been cut by 0.23 shekels to 7.03 shekels.




Highway 6 Toll Road to be Extended

Israel's Highway 6 Toll Road, according to Globes, will be extended southwards from Lahavim to Shoket (near Bersheva) Globes has reported today.  Highway 6 will also be extended northwars from Yokneam to Somekh (north east of Haifa).  The Transport Minister Israel Katz said that this extension is part of a "national network of highways and railways from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat."


Road Safety Campaigner

Israel21c has written about the road safety group in Israel People in Red.

Tender launched for new Tel Aviv Light Rail, Transport and Petrol Prices to fall and Protests against Jerusalem Light Rail - Friday 11th February News

Government to cut Petrol and Public Transport Prices in Israel

Following recent public pressure over the increasing cost of living in Israel including over higher gasoline prices, the Jerusalem Post reports that the Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu announced a package of measures to ease the cost of living for the public in Israel.  In the Transport arena these included:

- the cancellation of the 0.23 Shekel increase in petrol tax introduced on 1 January 2011.
- a 10% reduction in bus and rail fares.


Tender Process Launched for Design of Tel Aviv Light Rail


The NTA Mass Transit System, the Government owned organisation responsible for the new light rail system in Tel Aviv has launched a tender for the designs of the first line's underground tunnels and station.  The tender  document can be found here.  The tram line is due to run betwen Bat Yam and Petah Tikvah via Tel Aviv,  Ramat Gan and Bnei Brak





Protests in London against operator of the Jerusalem Light Rail


Anti-Israel protestors this week campaigned at a public meeting in London against Veolia the company operating the Jerusalem Light Rail according to Jewish News, protests have occured around Europe against Veolia because of its activities in Jerusalem, Israel.  These protests were condemned as a disgrace by the London Assembly Member Brian Coleman who was attending the meeting.

Gasoline Prices - Why prices are unlikely to fall soon - Wednesday 9th February 2011

After the news yesterday that the Government is working on solutions to reduce petrol prices in Israel, Globes has an interesting opinion piece saying that prices will not fall.

Globes explains that this is because the Government always planned to increase tax on gasoline so as to raise more funds in 2011 and 2012 to pay for the rising levels of public spending.  The approved budget for 2011-2012 estimated that the increased tax on petrol would raise a further 16.6 billion shekels in 2011 a rise from 2010 of 12.6% with a further 18.8 billion shekels in 2012 a further increase of 11.4%.

Despite the protests over the high price of petrol Globes predicts that the high price will not deter people from driving and so buying petrol as people will continue to need to travel just as much as before and do not feel that public transport provides a viable alternative.  Also many workers have their employers pay for their fuel costs and so do not feel the pain, while the increase has not yet been enough to scare of employers and persuade their staff to drive less.

The piece ends by predicting that as fuel becomes more expensive it will encourage the use of electric cars such as those produced by Better Place as they become a more viable alternative.

Israel Leading the Way with Anti-Congestion Measures

January was a busy month in Israel as schemes were rolled out to try and reduce the level of congestion.  In just the first month of 2011 Israel has become a global leader in delivering schemes which attempt to reduce congestion along the country's most bus roads.  During the first three weeks of the year Israel opened the first variable priced toll lane in the world, shut Jaffa Street the main thoroughfare through the capital Jerusalem, and the increased level of tax on petrol prices.

In other countries around the world governments have for many years been attempting to introduce policies that tackle the level of congestion on their roads but as in Britain have usually been unsuccessful in the face of public hostility.  For instance the previous Government's policy in Britain to widen the road pricing policy out of London was defeated by a nationwide petition and public referendums in Manchester and Edinburgh.  So why has Israel been successful at delivering these innovative anti-motorist policies?

Part of the reason may lie in the fact that in recent years Israel has become an innovative high-tech economy and last year achieved membership of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).  Israeli citizens have therefore become receptive to innovative solutions and schemes which they can see will enhance their lives.  It is no coincidence that a country which has been built and developed by pioneers and seen the desert bloom is now leading the way in the 21^st Century with technological innovations.

On 7^th January 2011 a new toll lane was opened on Road 1 between Ben Gurion International Airport and the entrance of Tel Aviv.  Anyone that has tried to travel into Tel Aviv by road any working day knows how they have suffered from terrible congestion which often more than doubles the journey time into Israel's busiest working city.   Israel's Government therefore took the decision to create a new toll lane to offer a quicker alternative route into Tel Aviv.  This 'Fast Lane' project being run by Shapir Engineering Ltd with the technological support of Siemens allows motorists to pay to travel along the 13 mile route at a normal speed rather than travel at a snail's pace.  In order to use the lane motorists either need to register in advance or travel through a toll booth at an interchange and are later automatically charged when their registration plate is recognised by a camera.  In the first of a kind scheme anywhere in the world the price of the journey is determined by the level of congestion at that time and can vary anywhere from 6 shekels to 60 shekels.  Commuters are also offered an alternative to the car; as a new free park & ride interchange has opened ahead of the entrance to the Fast Lane, which takes commuters into the centre of Tel Aviv.  Vehicles with four or more people are also able to travel on the 'fast lane' for free.

While the launch of the scheme was inaugurated with some complaints that only the rich would benefit from the new toll 'fast lane', the initial few weeks appear to have been a success.  At the end of January the schemes operators are reporting that the lane is being well used while the price has been limited to the minimum price of 6 shekels.  By the end of January the 'fast lane' was operating is at 80% of capacity and according to Nitzan Yotzer the head of operations the new lane already carries more traffic than any of the other lanes on the Road 1.   The operators are therefore predicting that this could be the first of many road-charging schemes into Tel Aviv.

The middle of January also saw the closure of Jaffa Road the major thoroughfare through Jerusalem to all traffic.  This is anticipation of the launch of Israel's first light rail line, which when it travels through the city centre will be the only form of transport along Jaffa Road other than pedestrians.   The introduction of the pedestrianized city centre has led to journeys through Jerusalem becoming slightly more difficult as motorists are restricted to other routes.  However, after many years of road works in the city to prepare for the new light rail line residents are now able to enjoy a nicer city centre and are able to look forward to what could be an exciting and convenient way to travel through Jerusalem.

Most controversial has been the increased tax on petrol that has seen Israel's petrol prices rise to some of the highest in the world.  Whilst Israeli's have accepted the other policies to deter driving, there have been more complaints about the rising price of petrol.  This may be because the Government is attempting to raise more revenue and deter driving  but -   as there are other pressures on Government spending - do not appear to be reinvesting the increased revenue from motorists back into improving public services.  Members of the governing Likud party have therefore started to question whether more can be done to keep petrol prices as low as possible, especially if prices were to rise as the Middle East becomes more unstable.

What may therefore be the case is that while Israelis do look forward to innovative high-tech solutions to reducing congestion on the roads, they are much like people all over the world.  Where the public can see that they are paying a cost for a better service such as a quicker journey or a nicer city they are prepared to pay the price.    However, where they get nothing in return for paying more as in the case with rising petrol taxes we may see more complaints and protests.

Petrol Prices Rise and Israel German bilateral agreement - Tuesday 1st February 2011

Petrol Price Rise

Gasoline prices to were increased by 1.68% today to a record high of 7.26 shekels (following an earlier rise at the beginning of January) caused by the rising cost of crude oil.  Globes is reporting that member of the Likud Party in the Knesset are pressuring the Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu and the Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz to stop any further increase in the price of petrol.

The rising cost of gasoline may see the Shai Agassi -  owner of electric car promoter Bette Place - prediction come true that by 2020 more people will be buying electric cars than petrol fuelled cars.




Israel - Germany Agreement

During the recent bilateral meetings between Angela Merkel the German Chancellor and Benjamin Netenyahu an agreement was reached to strengthen cooperation in the area of rail transport.  The German Government will encourage German consulting firms and infrastructure companies to take part in transport projects in Israel such as the Eilat railroad project.  There will also be cooperation in the area of electric mobility such as with the Better Car company and on innovations for sustainable mobility.

Sunday 2nd January 2011 News Brief

Gasoline Prices reach new  high

The price of petrol increased this week to a new high of 7.10 shekels (for self-service) for 95 octane fuel.

Israel has one of the highest  prices in the world for fuel, mostly due to the high level of tax (56% of the total cost).  The rising cost is due to a 20% increase in the tax - the second time in 18 months - and which is to be repeated in 2012. 

Israel's Train Infrastructure needs modernising

Globes have an opinion piece arguing that Israel's train company is against modernisation so that they do not have to reform itself and improve, a policy supported by the Transport Minister Israel Katz.

Haaretz meanwhile is reporting that following last week's fire, one-third of carriages will be inspected from today.  This will see cancellations in both directions between Hod Hasharon-Tel Aviv-Rishonim (Rishon Letzion ); Tel Aviv-Ramle-Beit Shemesh-Jerusalem; Be'er Sheva North-Dimona; Hof Hacarmel (Haifa )-Kiryat Motzkin. These are planned to be replaced by bus servicecs.


New Vehicle Emission Level's Announced

The Environmental Protection Ministry will be able to place stricter limits on emissions from motor vehicles from today in order to improve air quality.  The new law will allow the Ministry for the first time to set emission standards which vehicles will have to pass as part of the annual motor inspection tests.

Israel's main source of air pollution is currently from motor vehicles.