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Railway congestion during commuting hours in metropolitan regions is being eased thanks to various measures, but still dose not allow disabled persons from using railway transportation (in the Tokyo metropolitan region, the congestion rate is now at about 180%). Further efforts are required to ease congestion and remove barriers to disabled persons (Figure 30).
Measures are being taken to increase transportation capacity
for urban railways during commuting hours to ease congestion and reduce time
consumption. They include the construction of new subways and multiple-track
railroads, lengthening platforms and trains, and increasing the service frequency.
At transportation terminals, the number of multi-level platforms, transfer
pathways, elevators and escalators are being increased to help ease congestion
and improve the convenience for transferring (e.g. Kitasenju Station for Tobu
Railway Co. and the Teito Rapid Transit Authority).
In off-peak commuting movements to stagger commuting hours and ease congestion,
the Ministry of Transport is promoting the staggering of office hours and the
flextime system. In FY 1997, nearly 20% of business offices in the Tokyo metropolitan
region had introduced either staggered office hours or the flextime system.
Railway companies are also increasing the number of reserved-seat trains
(e.g. JR homeliners) and air-conditioned trains for comfortable commuting.
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