Police began enforcing NIS 500 fines on those caught driving in Tel Aviv's carpool lanes without multiple passengers.
By MAARIV ONLINECars drive on a highway as a train enters a station in Tel Aviv, Israel(photo credit: CORINNA KERN/REUTERS)
On Sunday, police began enforcing NIS 500 fines on those caught driving in Tel Aviv's fast-moving carpool lanes, also known as "Path Plus," without enough passengers.Following heavy traffic congestion, drivers' protests and the struggle of the Netanya Municipality's fight against Path Plus on Highway 2, Minister of Transport Bezalel Smotrich announced last week a new plan, with investment of tens of millions of shekels, to increase public transport, construction of parking lots in Netanya and Hadera and operate shuttles during busy hours."On the coastal road to the south we have a weak point," acknowledged the minister, who announced an immediate increase in public transport in Hadera, Netanya and the surrounding area.At the same time, the parking lot at Hadera Village Complex, which is on Olga Junction and contains about 2,000 parking spaces, will offer free parking to users on Path Plus and Public Transportation. From the complex, a new public transport line will be operated to Tel Aviv, and buses will depart at peak hours in the morning and evening every 15 minutes and at times of low traffic they will depart every half hour. It was also decided to add two new bus lines between Netanya and the Ramat HaHayal in Tel Aviv and the business district in Petah Tikva.Smotrich also announced that advanced discussions were being held with Netanya Municipality regarding the allocation of parking lots near the coastal road, near Poleg Junction and the Peace Bridge, and the parking area would also be expanded at the Sapir Train Station. For the first time, shuttles will also be operated from other localities in the Sharon area to Netanya and Tel Aviv, in order to encourage the transition from private vehicles to public transport.
