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(1) In the Metropolitan Region, efficient traffic systems centered on
mass transportation have been formed. Because of this, efforts are now being
made to systematically build up public transport systems, including railways.
It is important to enable railways to meet precisely the ever-increasing
demand for transport. At the same time, it is necessary to promote the mass
development of housing lots or to properly disperse many urban functions concentrated
in central Tokyo.
To this end, efforts are also being exerted to improve systematically and
steadily JR lines, subway, new town railways, and major private railway lines.
At the same time, the circles concerned are studying the construction of
new line as a project to be undertaken under "Special Legislative Measures Concerning
Integrated Promotion of Development of Housing Lots and Railways in Major Urban
Areas."
Again, efforts are being made to promote the improvement of transport services,
including the activation of bus traffic and the sophistication of taxi services
.
Again, efforts are being made to respond to the demand for midnight transport,
which is rising due to round-the-clock activities in the metropolitan region
and other major urban regions. Moves to increase midnight transportation capacity
include, for example, operating many more trains, introducing the operations
of trains made up of many more cars, expanding midnight express bus and late
night bus services, increasing taxis and systematically allocating taxis, operating
urban-type passenger buses and introducing anew midnight middle-distance bus
services (Table 8).
In local nucleus cities, the construction of traffic facilities, which underlie
municipal activities and lifestyle, and the improvement of public transport
services have become important problems, hence concrete measures are now being
taken in accordance with local traffic plans to restore the credibility of public
transportation, including buses, and add to their conveniences.
(2) In local cities, public transport business has continued to deteriorate,
affected by decreases in the number of population and as a result of the progress
of motorization.
The situation is such that a means of transport for people who have no choice
but to utilize public transport systems must now be developed.
Hence, the Ministry of Transport, with the cooperation of local governments,
is exerting efforts to help small private railway companies, Local bus companies
and improve services(Table 9).
Again, Specified local railway lines have all gone through shifts, but many
of those shifted to bus and railway services are run in the red although their
earning situations have improved, hence greater management efforts and positive
cooperation of the local circles concerned have been strongly urged.
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