Jerusalem City Hall reports that during its first year of service, ridership on the Jerusalem light raid has increased 41%, referring to an area in the center of town. The city monitored 18 locations along the line with cameras which operated from 07:00 to midnight, enabling them to determine the increase in ridership.
The report states that in July 2011 there were 298,000 riders and in August 2012, that number was up to 422,000. The largest increase in riders was in Nachlat Shiva (Ben-Yehuda Mall area), up 87%, from 55,000 to 103,000.
There was also an increase in the area of shuk Machane Yehuda, from 121,000 in July 2011 to 166,000 in August 2012, representing a 38% hike.
In the area of King George, Jaffa, Ben-Yehuda (Triangle), the increase was 34%, from 79,000 riders to 106,000.
The survey was conducted in July 2011 as the service got underway. Other surveys were conducted in November 2011, May 2012, and July. The center of town, which was the focus of the study, is divided into three clusters; (1) Machane Yehuda, (2) the Triangle and (3) Nachlat Shiva.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
a. summer time more people go out.
b. there is no other transportation between the city hall (on one extreme side of Jaffo) and the Central Bus Station (on the other side). Machane Yehuda is in the middle.
c. the Arabs from Shuffat and E. Jerusalem have easy transportation to all parts of Jerusalem.
So why should the number of riders not go up?
That’s Jerusalem Municipality. They cancel bus-lines, change everything around and force the population to use the trains which are very inconvenient. And now they’re applauding: You see, more people are using it. They like it. Well, I don’t. I use to be able to take 1 bus around the city. Now I need 2 or three. You have to walk half a mile to get the train. And go stand at the bus stop in the boiling heat or pouring rain. Thanks Olmert.