Rishon Lezion to Charge Non-Residents 150 NIS for Weekend Beach Parking

Rishon Lezion's Deputy Mayor, Idan Mizrahi, announced a new policy requiring non-residents to pay 150 shekels per day for parking at the city's beach during weekends. Currently, non-residents pay 30 shekels daily throughout the week, but the new weekend rate aims to prioritize local residents due to limited parking availability. Mizrahi explained that the city has a small beach area of one kilometer with 2,200 parking spots serving 300,000 residents, who collectively contribute 40-50 million shekels annually for maintenance, cleaning, and rescue services. He emphasized that residents often struggle to access the beach on weekends because of the parking shortage.

Mizrahi rejected the idea of implementing a shuttle service to the beach, noting that people prefer to arrive independently and that parking lots are available within a 7-8 minute walk from the beach. He reassured that the city welcomes all visitors to the beach but wants to ensure residents receive priority during peak times. The policy's implementation date remains uncertain.