Bnei Brak Deputy Mayor Details Transport Crisis and Plans for Bus Route Changes

Deputy Mayor and Transportation Portfolio Holder of Bnei Brak, Rabbi Michael Kakon, revealed in an interview the ongoing transport crisis in the city caused by severe traffic congestion, especially on Rabbi Akiva Street, the city's main artery. The congestion worsens every Saturday night as thousands of intercity buses pass through, creating massive bottlenecks. This situation results from a dispute between the Bnei Brak municipality and the Ministry of Transportation over bus route management.

Rabbi Kakon explained that the municipality hired an external professional company to analyze and map all intercity bus routes passing through Bnei Brak in detail, including passenger numbers and boarding points. The goal was to redistribute bus routes across multiple streets to alleviate congestion and provide residents with more convenient access. This plan also considered the city's demographic changes, aiming to reroute some buses along Jabotinsky Road to better serve neighborhoods that have become predominantly Haredi.

Despite initial cooperation and approval from Ministry representatives, most of the proposed changes were rejected by the Ministry of Transportation without clear explanation, leaving the municipality frustrated. Rabbi Kakon denied accusations that the plan favored certain areas for political reasons, emphasizing that the decisions were based solely on professional criteria.

The Deputy Mayor noted that the Ministry seemed to prioritize the convenience of passengers coming from outside Bnei Brak over the daily needs of local residents. He shared a resident's complaint about long travel times within the city after intercity bus rides, highlighting the need for more efficient routing.

Some partial progress has been made: certain bus lines will be adjusted starting Sunday, 20th of Tammuz (Hebrew calendar), with official announcements forthcoming. Rabbi Kakon expressed hope for further cooperation and urged the Ministry to join roundtable discussions to finalize a comprehensive solution. He stressed the municipality's commitment to resolving the crisis to ensure smoother traffic flow and better public transport for both residents and visitors.