The National Infrastructure Planning Committee, headed by the deputy chairperson of the National Planning Commission Shira Brandt, decided today to approve the plan for electrification of some 300 bus terminals around Israel. The plan will now go to the government for its approval.
The plan is being advanced by the Ministry of Transport through Ayalon Highways “as part of a process designed to encourage a switch to public transport by improving its service and thereby contributing to reducing emissions and air pollution,” the committee’s decision states.
The government’s target is for 60% of urban buses to be electric by 2026, and for the entire urban bus fleet to be electric by 2035.
The plan applies only to existing terminals or those in plans already approved. It adds the building and usage rights required at these terminals for charging stations and transformers. The committee says that approval of the plan will facilitate further procurement of electric busses within a short time, with a view to meeting the targets.
At the same time, individual plans are being advanced for new bus terminals and depots throughout the country.
The Ministry of Transport seeks to switch 3,000 urban buses to electric power by 2026. From then on, any urban bus procured is due to be electric. Some NIS 1 billion has been invested in the plan, and 450 electric buses already operate in Israel. Similar plans in the past have, however, come up against many obstacles, and even now the way to implementation of the plan, which involves connection to the power grid and cooperation of local authorities, is a long one.
Under the plan, Dimona will switch to electric buses this year, and Karmiel will do so next year. Among other places, electric buses wil operate in Rosh Ha’ayin, Bnei Brak, Rishon LeZion, and Tel Aviv.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on April 24, 2023.
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