Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Thursday evening that train traffic will gradually resume activity starting Saturday evening, May 16.
The Transportation Ministry said that the renewal of train traffic will be subject to the discretion of the Health Ministry given the difficulty to adhere to social distancing regulations on train wagons.
Ministry officials explained that the demand for public transportation currently stands at only 20% of normal capacity and authorities are trying to complete as much infrastructure work while demand remains low.
However, many citizens who depend on trains to commute to work every day showed great discontent with the decision.
"Many passengers write to us that their workplaces demand them to work from the office," 15 Minutes - Public Transportation Alliance Director Shimrit Gutman told Ynet. "Those who have private vehicles intend to use them but fear endless traffic as more and more passengers who used to commute with public transportation now have no other alternative but the car."
"Those who don't own a private vehicle want to continue working from home and hope their employers will support it. Others intend to use public transportation but complain about the lack of direct buses from their areas of residence to their workplaces.
"Even assuming enough lines will start operating - they'll just get stuck together in traffic with all the other vehicles on the country's roads, which will significantly lengthen travel times. For some, it's even up to 3-4 hours in each direction."
Fifteen Minutes are currently devising a recommendation document that will be presented before Transportation Minister Smotrich on the establishment of an alternative public transportation network while trains are grounded.
Among other things, the organization offers to operate direct bus lines to major employment centers, namely, in Netanya, Herzliya, Tel Aviv, and Rehovot; mark designated fast lanes for public transport, especially on highways 1,2 and 4; encourage the state to support working from home as much as possible; and providing a timetable for the renewal of the railway traffic.
Buses will resume activity Tuesday evening.