7. 2　Repletion of measures for regional traffic - with focus on passenger transport -

7. 2. 1　Traffic in Big Cities and Public Passenger Transport

　 　In areas around big cities, the socioeconomic structure has developed into a cluster around the center of the area. All the functions gravitated toward big cities during the period of high economic growth. Now we see "bed towns" sprawling out from the big cities.
Commuters going to and from work in big cities are forced to travel long distances. The closer we get to the center of big cities, the more aggravated the traffic congestion becomes. This phenomenon is having various effects on urban traffic.
Congested road traffic increases traffic accidents and aggravates environmental pollution conditions.
It also affects the operation of public transport. Because of congested traffic, buses arc forced to run at slow speed, and their turnaround time and punctuality have detriorated. (See Figure 6(1)(2).)
　 　Concerned about this grave situation, the Ministry of Transport is making every effort to upgrade bus and railway services to provide the populace efficient pubic transport, to enhance traffic space efficiency, and to build up less-polluting public transport systems.
Considering future energy supplies, we must attach great importance to public transport.

7. 2. 2　Regional Traffic Measures

　 　Local cities that have a comparatively large population - Sapporo, Sendai, Fukuoka, etc. - are the main cities in their respective districts. The other cities are prefectural centers or the equivalent. All have been growing in both population and industrialization by accepting various functions and activities from big cities in which it has become an urgent matter to upgrade existing railway facilities or construct new subways or rapid mass transit railways to relieve traffic jams and provide the populace with highly efficient public mass, transit. As regards bus services, efforts are being made to restore their original function of reducing road traffic congestion and to improve their services. In sparsely populated regions the population has been further reduced, and cars have been popularized more than in other areas, which in turn reduces the use of public transport like railroads and buses. (See Figure 7.) Under increasing pressures of personnel costs and other expenditures, public transport operations have slowly deteriorated. Nevertheless, public transport is still used to a certain extent as a means of transportation in every day life, particularly by the aged, the handicapped, the sick, or by children who cannot drive. All local inhabitants strongly desire to retain public transport.
　 　Recognizing the overriding importance of public transport as a life line, the government has been supporting local bus routes by subsidizing operations and bus purchases or by operating municipal buses on deficit-ridden routes. Similar assistance is provided for railways. To retain local lines, the government has been subsidizing small private railway companies.