A new plan by the Transportation and Road Safety Ministry has set an ambitious goal of cutting car use in Israel by half, and promoting walking, cycling, scooter use and public transport instead, a report by Globes said on Wednesday.

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"The plan seeks to persuade Israelis to do much more walking, bicycle-riding, and using buses and trains when traveling, instead of driving their cars and jamming up the roads," said the report.

It follows similar attempts to reduce car travel by cities in Europe and North America, such as London, Copenhagen and San Francisco.

The report noted that "Israeli targets may be approaching those of Europe, but the reality on the ground is different. While in Tel Aviv, more than 50% of trips are made by car, the numbers in Europe are significantly lower: Berlin – 31%; Barcelona – 25%; Singapore – 33%; and Vienna – 27%."

"Achieving these targets could be patchy at best," Globes wrote. "Tel Aviv is striving to achieve these targets, and its light railway system will soon begin operating. Jerusalem has had a light railway system for a decade, and more lines are being built together with flyovers and underpasses.

"But other projects are being delayed. Ra'anana is refusing to build bus lanes, and opposition to the Metro is mounting in the Sharon region. If the planned Greater Tel Aviv metropolitan region congestion charge is introduced as planned in 2024, that would be a major step forward in achieving these targets," the report said.

 JNS.org contributed to this report.

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Stagecoach, Britain's biggest bus, coach and tram operator, has announced a new technological partnership with the Tel Aviv-based Optibus that will help plan the bus networks of the future to match the changes in how people travel coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Optibus' AI-based software platform is already used in over 450 cities to deliver smarter timetables and networks. Optibus' rapid scenario creation will allow planners to identify different options for routes and timetables.

The technology is also expected to help Stagecoach roll out its new electric vehicles more quickly and effectively. Last year, Stagecoach introduced Manchester's first fleet of electric double-decker buses, and is targeting a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2035.

Carla Stockton-Jones, UK Managing Director for Stagecoach, said: "With our 40-year history of delivering innovation, it is crucial that we continue embracing the latest technology to provide the best services for our customers and to help attract new customers.

"We are confident that as we come out of the pandemic, this new technology will help us to plan the bus networks of the future and ensure that buses continue to play a key role in the country's recovery."

Following successful pilots in July, the Optibus platform will be rolled out across the company over the following 18 months.

Optibus CEO Amos Haggiag added: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Britain's biggest bus operator to power a pandemic recovery that puts passenger needs at the forefront while transitioning to a zero-emission fleet – helping us all to breathe easier."

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Wired to the traffic lights at a floor level, the LED strips change from red to green according to their source in an effort to grab pedestrians' attention.

The pilot project, which kicked off a few days ago, is meant to change pedestrians' behavior, Tomer Dror, the head of Tel Aviv's Traffic Management Division, told Reuters. He said that the data collected in the past several days shows that people are indeed taking their eyes off their devices, using the strips as a stopping point and that in general. this reduces safety hazards.

The initiative drew mixed reactions from passers-by.

"The zombies are zombies. … They don't see anything," said 64-year-old Meir Wigoder, while his fellow Tel Aviv resident, Vered Baram, praised the action.

Tel Aviv is not the first city to institute a special safety measure for people who text and walk. Many cities around the world grapple with how to protect phone-obsessed "smartphone zombies" from injuring themselves by stepping into traffic or running into stationary objects. Similar trials have been carried out in Singapore, Australia and Germany.

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