Salam: Absent Public Transport Drains Lebanese Wallets... Solution Lies in a Reliable and Regular Network

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed that developing public transport in Lebanon is no longer a luxury, but a necessity affecting citizens' daily lives, noting that the absence of effective alternatives forces Lebanese people to rely on their private cars amidst the worsening traffic crisis.

Salam warned about the direct repercussions of the transport crisis on the cost of living, pointing out that expenses for fuel, maintenance, and commuting drain a significant portion of household income, at the expense of basic needs such as food, healthcare, and education.

He stressed the need to provide reliable and regular public transport that alleviates burdens on citizens and reduces fuel consumption, air pollution, and noise, emphasizing the importance of establishing a plan to create a modern transport network connecting Lebanese regions with each other.

For his part, Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny affirmed that shared transport is an urgent necessity that cannot be postponed, indicating the restart and gradual expansion of its services in light of actual demand for organized transport.

Rasamny noted that the plan aims to provide 54 routes and 300 buses, stressing the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors and international partners, and the state's commitment to assuming its responsibilities to build a reliable transport system that connects Lebanese regions and reduces pollution and noise.