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.

Is it worth getting a Better Place electric car? Concern over Tel-Aviv Jerusalem Highway Upgrade, Easy Jet decides not to increase flight numbers to Israel

Is it worth getting a Better Place electric car?

Following the news that Better Place have opened their first showroom in Israel, Globes have carried out a review to consider whether it is worthwhile for employees to use an electric Better Place lease-car or a regular lease car.  In what could be bad news for Better Place, Globes conclude that there are currently no financial advantages to companies leasing the new electric cars, this is especially so given the current limited places to recharge the batteries of the engine.


Concern over Tel-Aviv Jerusalem Highway Upgrade

Residents along route Route 1 between Latrun and Jerusalem are concerned about plans by the Israel National Roads Company to upgrade Route 1.

In April Israel's Internal Affairs Cabinet Committee approved the 2.5 billion Shekel proposal which will see Highway 1 extended to 3 lanes each-way between Shaar Hagai and Jerusalem.  The road widening will also see new tunnels and bridges to make the drive straighter, smoother and quicker. 

During the consultation period on the proposal 800 objections to the plan were submitted, 115 of them against specific clauses of it. All of these objections have been rejected and following a complaint the Knesset State Control Committee convened two weeks ago to discuss whether the plan ought to be reconsidered. After the meeting, committee chairman MK Yoel Hasson told the parties that unless they resolved their dispute within 30 days, he would ask the state comptroller to look into it.

This has seen a meeting between local representatives and the National Roads Company.

The concerns include the huge disturbance by the construction of the new road, the uprooting of thousands of trees and natural habitats, the burial of the historic road to Jerusalem - which will see the armored vehicles that mark the breakthrough to Jerusalem in the War of Independence to be moved elsewhere and increased levels of traffic.


Easy Jet decides not to increase flight numbers to Israel

Easy Jet has decided not to increase its number of flights between Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and Luton Airport near London, Basel Airport and Geneva Airport.  Haaretz is reporting that this is because Easy Jet have not received the preferential treatment which they requested from Israel's Airport Authorities.

This comes as Ben Guiron Airport has experienced a 15% increase in travellers this summer, with a 9% increase so far in 2011 compared to 2010.

Highway 1 to be widened into Jerusalem and Israair to begin flights to Jordan

Highway 1 to be widened into Jerusalem

Israel's Internal Affairs Cabinet Committee yesterday approved a 2.5 billion Shekel proposal by the Transport Minister, Israel Katz to upgrade the Jerusalem to Tel Aviv Highway 1.  The proposal will see Highway 1 extended to 3 lanes each-way between Shaar Hagai and Jerusalem.  The road widening will also see new tunnels and bridges to make the drive straighter, smoother and quicker.  The project is due to be completed by 2016 and will reduce the journey time between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to half an hour.

However, there is opposition to the road expansion according to the Jerusalem Post from environmental groups and local municipalities including Mevasseret Zion, Bet Shemesh, Har Adar and Abu Ghosh as the changes to the layout of the highway could affect the environment and residents' quality of life.


Israair to begin flights to Jordan


Israir Airlines is to begin operating two flights a week between Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel and the Amman Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan following permission from Israel Katz, Minister of Transport in Israel.