PM Salam says Lebanon's transport crisis is a state responsibility

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Friday held the Lebanese state responsible for the country’s public transportation crisis, saying the lack of alternatives forces citizens to rely on private cars or bear transportation costs beyond their means.

Salam spoke at the Grand Serail during a meeting titled “Toward Developing Public Transport in Lebanon,” organized by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with the participation of Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny.

Salam linked the crisis to years of neglect of public infrastructure and delayed reforms, saying it did not begin with Lebanon’s financial collapse. Rather, he said, it dates back to damage caused by the 1975-1990 civil war and the failure to establish an integrated transportation network afterward, which entrenched reliance on private vehicles.

He said the World Bank estimated about a decade ago that the crisis was costing Lebanon more than $2 billion annually. He noted that time lost in traffic comes at the expense of productivity, while fuel, maintenance, and transportation costs consume a significant share of household incomes.

Salam described improving public transportation as a practical way to increase purchasing power and expand employment opportunities. He called for more buses and routes in Beirut, Tripoli, Sidon, Tyre and Zahle, along with reliable schedules, fair fares, dedicated bus lanes and accessible services for older people and people with disabilities.

Salam said the plan's success would ultimately be measured by how much time citizens regain and how much money they save.