Knesset Economics Committee clears metropolitan transport authority law for final vote

The Knesset Economics Committee on Tuesday approved for second and third readings a bill establishing metropolitan public transport authorities in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, with a council of local mayors to manage each. MK Yura Lahav-Hertzano, who welcomed the law, said it will need amendment to allow public transport on Shabbat to make the car-ownership trade-off convincing.

The Knesset Economics Committee on Tuesday evening approved for second and third readings the bill establishing metropolitan public transport authorities for the Gush Dan (Tel Aviv), Jerusalem, and Haifa regions. The move finalizes the committee stage after earlier approvals secured by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who previously described the legislation as a long-overdue step toward modern public transport management. Each authority will be overseen by a council composed of local mayors from the respective metropolitan area.

MK Yura Lahav-Hertzano (Yesh Atid), a member of the committee, welcomed the legislation but stressed that its impact on car dependency will be limited unless amended to permit public transport operation on Shabbat. "The law will convince Israelis to give up the car," he said, "but only if we fix it to allow service on Shabbat." The bill now proceeds to the Knesset plenum for second and third readings, after which it will become law if passed.

The legislation has been a recurring topic in the Knesset Economics Committee for years, with previous attempts failing to advance. As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, the Transport Ministry's director-general described the voluntary transfer of central authority to local bodies as an unusual act of government self-restraint.

3 developments

1. 3 hours ago · 19:26 · 23 JunLatest

   Amendment canceling parking law inserted into the metropolitan transit bill

2. 19:25 · 23 Jun

   Bill cleared for final second and third readings in the Knesset plenum

3. 15:08 · 23 Jun

   Knesset Economics Committee approves law establishing metropolitan transport authorities

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