Electric scooter accident on the light rail line on Jaffa Street/Israel Police
The police recently started handing out reports to cyclists and scooter riders on the light rail line in Jerusalem.
The reports amounting to NIS 250 are given to riders even though it is a route with no alternatives at the entrance to the city center, and that there is no sign prohibiting riding.
The track space is defined in advance as one shared by light rail and pedestrians, and is not closed to traffic like a heavy rail track.
The Bicycles for Jerusalem organization, a volunteer organization that promotes cycling in the city, states in a position paper it published that "cycling on Jaffa Road has no alternative for cyclists: the street, which is closed to cars and buses, is seen as safe - a correct perception in light of the data - and offers a pleasant cycling experience. There are no parallel axes along its entire length , and the parallel streets are narrow and crowded with buses and heavy traffic."
The organization also notes that the legality of riding along the axis is in the gray area: there is no signage prohibiting it, and according to the law non-electric bicycles are allowed to ride in a public transportation lane according to regulation 34b of the traffic regulations.
Mayor Moshe Leon inaugurates a bicycle path.
The tightening of enforcement by the police is contrary to the encouragement of cycling led by Arnon Bosani
In the capital, as in other cities in the country, in recent years there has been an increase in the number of riders, mainly on electric tools, which are in demand in the mountainous city.
At the same time, the Jerusalem Municipality accelerated the construction of bike paths, and these are currently built everywhere where a light rail route is laid, but are missing on Jaffa Street, which was converted to serve the train about 20 years ago.
Last May, at the inauguration ceremony of a new 1.3 km long bicycle path connecting the area of the Hebrew University, Beit HaKerem and Shaare Zedek Hospital to the Malha area, the municipality stated that "until 2020, there were approximately 49 km of bicycle paths in the city, and today , spread out in Jerusalem about 70 km of trails.
Another 25 km of trails are under construction and will be paved by the end of 2023. Another 25 km are in various planning stages.
According to the municipal master plan for bicycle paths - about 200 km of paths will be paved throughout Jerusalem."
Mayor Leon said at the ceremony that "we are investing a lot in order to develop environmentally friendly, fast, effective, and cheaper alternatives to get around the city and reduce the use of private cars. Our efforts are bearing fruit. We will continue to build, pave and develop more creative solutions to make the city more accessible for road users and ease traffic congestion."
On the other hand, the police say that the change in the enforcement policy occurred after a wave of accidents caused by rampaging riders, which often caused emergency braking of the light rail, endangering the passengers, and could cause them to fall.
The police stated that "Due to the large number of accidents involving these types of bicycles and scooters during the year 2023, including one serious accident, the Jerusalem District Police increased enforcement along the light rail route on Jaffa Street. These are accidents caused by irresponsible behavior and riding on the part of those two-wheeled riders while Injury to the train, vehicles and pedestrians. We will continue with the enforcement that is intended first and foremost to increase the safety and well-being of the public of road users and to prevent more casualties in traffic accidents of this kind."
The police refused to provide how many reports have been given to riders since the beginning of the year, and whether they are also given to riders
on non-electric bikes.
Although the police make it difficult for cyclists on Jaffa Street, they often allow cyclists to move along the railroad track, and many police vehicles travel along it, even when they are not expected to be in operational activity. The
Jerusalem Municipality stated that "The Jerusalem Municipality does not enforce bicycle travel on the railroad route Israel Police.
There is no physical space to add a bicycle path in the Jaffa pedestrian zone, since the railroad tracks are located in the middle of the street and next to them are sidewalks with high pedestrian traffic, and seating areas for the cafes and restaurants. .
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