State Comptroller Flags Privacy and Oversight Failures in Parking and Bus-Lane Camera Enforcement

State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman released a report on Tuesday examining how local authorities use cameras to enforce parking violations and driving in public transport lanes. The audit found that, alongside improved enforcement efficiency, several authorities had shortcomings in protecting public privacy and in managing the enforcement system.

The report reviewed four authorities, Herzliya, Hadera, Ramat Gan and the local council of Binyamina-Givat Ada. In 2025, they operated about 189 enforcement cameras, and in 2024 those cameras generated roughly 121,000 tickets worth a cumulative 44 million shekels.

The audit identified privacy failures. In Ramat Gan, images were stored at a quality that allowed identification of passersby, while in Binyamina-Givat Ada no blurring was done at all for pedestrians recorded by the cameras. The report also said some authorities kept filming public space even after they had stopped using the cameras for enforcement. In addition, Ramat Gan deleted about 256,000 recorded incidents without keeping documentation explaining why they were erased.

The report said only 6 of the 38 local authorities with bus lanes currently enforce them using cameras. The Comptroller found that the Transport Ministry did not press non-enforcing authorities to begin enforcement, and therefore had not reached the stage of considering transferring enforcement powers from them to the ministry. The office warned that lack of bus-lane enforcement could harm the economic, social, safety and environmental benefits of public transport. Englman said camera use helps enforcement, but can harm privacy and therefore requires careful, limited use. He added that authorities should use enforcement cameras proportionately and fairly, and should periodically examine whether the original reasons for installing them still apply.