Fast-lane bikers will pay half on toll road

A new compromise hashed out in the Knesset Economics Committee yesterday would offer motorcyclists a 50% discount on the toll set for the planned fast lane into Tel Aviv.

However, despite the compromise the Knesset Economics Committee declined to vote yet again on a revised policy for fast lanes. The decision came in the wake of pressure by motorcyclists and taxi drivers, who don't want to pay the toll.

The compromise was offered by the Finance Ministry budgets department official responsible for transportation, Eran Cohen.

However, committee head MK Ofir Akunis didn't bring the revised policy up for a vote, and requested that the finance and transportation ministers inform the committee of their opinions in writing. The discussion about the regulations broke down three months ago, after Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz objected to the committee's decision to exempt motorcyclists from the toll altogether. The exemption came out of an agreement between Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, Akunis and the head of the Knesset's motorcycle lobby, MK Carmel Shama (Likud ).

The decision sparked criticism from MKs who said it was politically motivated - 2,000 motorcyclists had joined Likud en masse shortly beforehand. The committee was also requested to discuss granting toll exemptions to taxis.

Government sources say that the motorcyclists' use of the fast lane will slow traffic and expose the government to lawsuits by the project's tender winner, Shapir Engineering, equal to NIS 10 million a year for the 25-year duration of the concession.

However, Steinitz said he wouldn't sign off on any exemptions, and Akunis responded by announcing that the committee meeting was being called off and the proceedings frozen.

The fast lane to Tel Aviv will be the leftmost lane on the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, between the Lod interchange and Kibbutz Galuyot interchange in Tel Aviv. It will be a toll road.