Jerusalem Bus Station
Jerusalem Bus StationFlash 90

Jerusalem Magistrate's Court today (Tuesday), issued  an injunction against Egged and the company that operates Jerusalem's Central Bus Station, accusing it of failing to protect passengers against the "worst pollution levels in Israel."

According to the order, the operator will be required to place inspectors at the entrance to bus bays, to ensure passengers do not stand outside the doors inhaling damaging fumes. Egged has been ordered to make sure all drivers turn off their engines while docked at the bus station.

The Jerusalem Central Bus Station area where buses take on new passengers is indoors, increasing the risk of bus fumes reaching dangerously high levels.

The decision of the judges stated that in cases where the court had proven a severe and irreversible damage to public health, such an order was a necessity, adding "this is exactly the case before us."

The order was issued after the management of the station and Egged failed to meet their obligations to previous arrangements - meant to counter the worst air pollution ever measured in Israel.

The original law, suit filed two years ago on behalf of passengers quoted the Ministry for Environmental Protection findings that the capital's bus station had the worst air pollution countrywide.

The Director of the Jerusalem Region of the Ministry, Shoni Goldberger told Army Radio:

"It is important to ensure that the doors remained closed and that does not happen in practice" she said. "The central bus station operators in Jerusalem have not insisted on it."

"The levels we have measured are alarming," Goldberger continued: "There are cheap and quick solutions, but for some reason the Jerusalem Central Bus Station operator has refrained from implementing them. We are weighing up if further actions to take against the operator of the bus station to ensure it starts to deal with the issue."