地下鉄箱崎線と西鉄貝塚線　6両編成･直通運転での検討を確認　ハードルは巨額の改修工事費用　福岡市長と西鉄社長がトップ会談

On the 2nd, Fukuoka City Mayor Takashima and Nishitetsu President Hayashida confirmed that they are considering through service between the Fukuoka City Subway Hakozaki Line and the Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line. Fukuoka Mayor and Nishitetsu President Confirm Consideration of Through Service Between Subway and Kaizuka Line Nishitetsu President Hayashida visited Mayor Takashima at Fukuoka City Hall on the afternoon of the 2nd. During their meeting on the 2nd, the two confirmed that they are considering a plan to operate through service between the Fukuoka City Subway Hakozaki Line and the Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line, which connect at Kaizuka Station in Higashi Ward, using six-car trains. Fukuoka City Mayor Soichiro Takashima "We held a top-level meeting regarding the direct operation of the Hakozaki Line subway and the Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line in Higashi Ward." "To be open and to talk with various people going forward, we decided to move forward with this plan rather than keeping it behind the scenes. We will do our best to meet expectations." Kaizuka Line: Morning congestion rate of 164%, second highest in the nation The Hakozaki Line subway and the Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line connect at Kaizuka Station, but the tracks are not connected, and passengers must exit the platform and pass through the ticket gate to transfer. During rush hour, passengers rush to the ticket gates every time a Kaizuka Line train arrives from the Kashii direction. According to a survey published by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism last July, the congestion rate of the Kaizuka Line during morning commuting hours is 164%, the second highest in the nation. Kaizuka Line passengers: "During rush hour, it's so packed that there's hardly any space, and I can barely even use my smartphone." "Every time, it's so crowded that you can't even get a seat, and sometimes you have to hold your luggage in front of you just to get on." The enormous cost of renovations is the biggest hurdle. There are several hurdles to overcome in order to operate through services between the Hakozaki Line and the Kaizuka Line. Although the track gauge is the same, the two tracks must first be directly connected. Also, the Hakozaki Line uses 6-car trains, while the Kaizuka Line uses 2-car trains, so expanding the station platforms would be necessary to accommodate 6-car trains. The enormous cost of renovations is likely to be the biggest hurdle to through service. Nishitetsu President Koichi Hayashida: "Our facilities are older. Adjusting and improving them will require a considerable initial investment." Fukuoka City Mayor Soichiro Takashima: "Fukuoka City will work closely with us to ensure the project is viable." With the declining birthrate, there are many issues to consider, such as whether the population along the line will continue to grow and whether there will remain high demand for direct train service even after it is implemented. However, with the mayor and president confirming this, the groundwork has been laid for resolving these issues one by one. For more details, see NEWS DIG! ↓ https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/...