CityPass – end of story? It doesn’t sound realistic, but at both the Ministry of Transportation and the municipality, there is a serious thought not to renew the permit to operate the light rail through CityPass when the current permit expires at the end of this year. The contract should be renewed almost automatically, but due to the large number of complaints against the company’s management of the light rail, there have been serious signs that such a decision might be taken. If that will be the situation, the Egged bus company would be one of the public transportation companies invited to present their offer, bringing a somewhat premature end to CityPass’s hegemony over the light rail. Sources at Safra Square admit that this probably won’t happen, but also admit that the mere discussion of and publicity given to these considerations might serve as a very helpful means to enhance services to the city’s residents and to passengers specifically.
Riders, take your marks The Jerusalem part of the Israel Bike Trail has been officially approved. It will run through the city to enable visitors, as they do in many other major cities in the world, to tour Jerusalem by bicycle. The path will run from the Arazim Valley (in the north of the city, near Ramot) to Givat Ram (near the Prime Minister’s Office) and then to the city center, down through the Rail Trail along the former railway tracks in the German Colony and out of town through Malha. The trail has been approved by all the bodies involved in the Israel National Trail (from the north of the country down to Eilat), namely: the ministries of Tourism, Trade and Industry and Environmental Protection and the Jewish National Fund, as well as the municipality. Deputy Mayor Naomi Tsur, who was deeply involved in and pushed for the approval of the project, says that just as public transportation must be encouraged and developed, it is also important to add more bicycle paths, for residents as well as for tourists.

This week in Jerusalem 280644

Peggy Cidor's round-up of city affairs.