Jerusalem’s light rail may be a great way to encourage the use of public transportation, but why doesn’t it allow bikes on board?
Four months ago the much anticipated Jerusalem light rail was launched after years of construction. (The future of the Tel Aviv light rail has yet to be seen.) The new light rail provides another convenient, comfortable means of public transportation within the city and further eliminates the need for gas-guzzling and carbon emitting personal vehicles. It is not proving convenient for one environmentally significant group of Jerusalem residents, however: the cyclists. Despite the fact that the light rail cars have a device specifically for storing bikes, bicycles are forbidden aboard the Jerusalem light rail.
Cycle Jerusalem, a group of local cyclists, is protesting the issue with a Critical Mass today starting at Safra Square.
Critical Mass is a cycling event typically held on the last Friday of each month in over 300 cities around the world, and is often intended as a way for bikes to “take back the streets” from personal vehicles.
Before organizing today’s protest, Cycle Jerusalem approached the Minister of Transportation, the mayor of Jerusalem and the company managing the light rail. All three parties refused to take responsibility or to provide a reason why bikes could not be allowed on the trains.
It looks like whoever is responsible is missing a golden opportunity to promote sustainable urban transportation within Jerusalem. There are no bike paths leading to the light rail, no secure bike parking devices at the light rail stations, and no bikes allowed on board.
For more information about today’s Critical Mass and Cycle Jerusalem visit the group’s Facebook page.
Read more about cycling in Jerusalem:
Critical Mass of Cyclists to Test Jerusalem’s Bike Paths
The Cycling Nightlife in Jerusalem
Israel Becomes a Nation of Pedalers (Cycling Freaks)
Image via: Cycle Jerusalem
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
This is such a silly protest, why would you need to take the light rail if you are on a bicycle?! The whole light rail route is only a few kilometers, you can travel it faster on bicycle than you could by bringing your bike on the train!
The idea of bringing a bike on the light rail is like taking a dog out for a walk and then walking around holding the dog in your hands the whole time – pointless!
It is ridiculous. All forms of public transport need to accommodate cyclists. Cyclists do a good and important thing for our cities, and need to be rewarded, not made to suffer.
In a city trying to promote efficient public transport this is so ridiculous. The same goes with the buses . No bikes allowed and occasionally if a driver allows it one has to pay – How abt bike racks on the buses .