Activists stage mock wedding to urge resumption of trains

Advocacy group says contagion in overcrowded busses poses as much of a threat as train travel and while trains are suspended, events such as weddings with up to 250 people, are allowed
Asaf Zagrizek|Updated:
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An Israeli advocacy group for better public transportation staged a mock wedding on Thursday at a Tel Aviv train station to protest the government's decision to keep train travel closed as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus while allowing weddings and other celebrations of up to 250 people to proceed.
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  • The event was officiated by Yossi Saidov the chairman of 15 Minutes - Public Transportation Alliance an advocacy group fighting for better public transport services, shorter waiting time, better access for enabled passengers, and more.
    3 View gallery
    חתונת מחאה של ארגון 15 דקות בכניסה לתחנת רכבת השלום במחאה על השבתת הרכבת
    חתונת מחאה של ארגון 15 דקות בכניסה לתחנת רכבת השלום במחאה על השבתת הרכבת
    Mock wedding in protest of stalled trains
    (Photo: Yuval Hen)
    "We are here to encourage authorities to reopen train lines and reinstate the pulse of Israel's market economy," Saidov said. "We call on the prime minister who is always talking about the economy to show some leadership and let the trains transport 250,000 Israeli workers to their jobs each day.
    The "bride" in the protest event said it made no sense to keep trains from operating since the overcrowding on buses, as a result, pose much more risk of contagion.
    "We would like to see less crowding and for that, we need trains to run and take some of the load off buses and traffic," she said.
    3 View gallery
    קו 39 בירושלים עמוס בנוסעים, בזמן לא מחזירים את פעילות הרכבת
    קו 39 בירושלים עמוס בנוסעים, בזמן לא מחזירים את פעילות הרכבת
    Passengers cram into an overcrowded public bus
    Drivers also complained they were experiencing heavy traffic on their way to Tel Aviv with some complaining they were wasting hours trying to get to work.
    A lane on the major highway into the city has been closed for roadworks that were planned months ago and did not foresee trains being suspended at the same time.
    Transportation Minister Miri Regev said her office was prepared to restart train operations earlier in the week with passengers pre-paying for tickets so as not to line up in stations but in light of the increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19 the government had decided to wait.
    3 View gallery
    עומסים באיילון בעקבות עבודות תשתית
    עומסים באיילון בעקבות עבודות תשתית
    Heavy traffic at the entrance to Tel Aviv
    (Photo: Shmulik Davidpur)
    "I hope we will have news about the resumption of trains soon," she said.
    Her Deputy Minister Uri Maklef said that people must get to work so they cram into busses but he added, "truth must be told, there was an overcrowding problem on public buses before the pandemic."
    First published: 22:43, 06.11.20
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    5.
    Levi
    Why would they take a chance of spreading this to communities they have not been hit hard? The trains will spread this from one end to the other of this country..
    Levi Hogan| 06.13.20
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    4.
    It means that we have to take care of ourselves and
    not to trust the government or health department to have any sense in this chaos.
    Barbara| 06.12.20
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    3.
    The overcrowding seen
    At bus stations warrants opening train services, whilst its true there has always been overcrowding on public transport even before corona.there is no logic in 250 at a wedding at a closed wedding hall being allowed. Proof that government haven't the least idea how to handle this. Chopping and changing rules from one day to the next.
    Naor| 06.12.20
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