【なぜ?】ついに始まった新路線 名前と矛盾した実態、実現しない構想と課題とは｜東京BRT【Takagi Railway】

【なぜ?】ついに始まった新路線 名前と矛盾した実態、実現しない構想と課題とは｜東京BRT【Takagi Railway】

Thank you for watching. This time, we will introduce a transportation in the Tokyo waterfront area. We will summarize the current status of the bus, which has finally started operating on its favorite route, as well as its future prospects and challenges. What is the background behind this unsettled situation, which is different from what was previously said? About 2.5km southeast of Shinbashi Station, one of Tokyo’s major stations, we have arrived at the Harumi area, which is undergoing development. In the past, factories were lined up around the wharves of Harumi, Kachidoki, and Toyosu, and there were dedicated lines for transporting cargo. Although they supported the period of high economic growth, they were replaced by truck transportation, and dedicated lines were completely abolished by 1989. While Kachidoki and Toyosu were the names of subway stations that later opened, there is no subway in Harumi. This time we will introduce transportation in the Harumi area. Among the high-rise condominiums that line the bay area, this one is especially new. At the entrance to the area are the words "Site of The Tokyo 2020 / Olympic Village and Paralympic Village". This is "Harumi Flag", a residential area built on the site of the Olympic and Paralympic Village that will be held in Tokyo in 2021. Turn right at the corner behind the commercial building on the side of the road. This time, the first location is near the edge of the section. This is HARUMI FLAG (Harumi 5-chome Bus Terminal). It is a place that is responsible for transportation access for Harumi Flag, and there are bicycle storage areas, community cycles, and a landing area for boats heading to the sunrise in the surrounding area. There are six booths here, and booths 1 and 2 are used by Toei Bus and Chuo Ward Community Bus. The section where the bus is parked is cut diagonally, giving the impression that it is a recently built facility. Tokyo BRT uses the remaining numbers 3 to 6. This is the bus transportation system that we will introduce this time. Using four booths may seem like a luxury, but as the information board says, the booths will change depending on the construction schedule. Only booths 5 and 6 have roofed booths, while booths 3 and 4 are still under construction. Construction work on these roofs has progressed rapidly over the past month, and the delays are noticeable since work has already been completed on the Toei bus stops. Then, it was a Tokyo BRT vehicle that came around with extremely fast cornering. It has a distinctive appearance with lines of multiple colors based on white and black. There were less than 10 people waiting to board. Booth 6, where that bus arrived, is the booth where the bus bound for Shinbashi departs and arrives. The trains run every 20 minutes during the day, and the frequency increases on weekday mornings and evenings. Next door, booth No. 5, has letters from famous spots in the bay area, such as Toyosu Market and International Exhibition Center. However, these numbers are significantly smaller. There are buses that run every minute on weekday evenings, and considering the frequency and interval of service, the schedule is not suitable for everyday use. Here is the route map. It’s complex considering its scale, with loop-like sections, strangely short sections, and two lines of the same color. Before getting on the bus, let’s review the history and overview of Tokyo BRT. Tokyo BRT is a transportation system that started operating in October 2020. There are currently four routes in the bay area. BRT stands for "Bus Rapid Transit." It is also called a bus rapid transit system, and although the definition is not clear in some areas, most of what is currently called BRT in Japan and overseas has dedicated lanes, excellent speed and punctuality, and can transport a large number of people at once. It is a transportation system based on bus vehicles that can be transported. In Japan, it is well known that it was introduced to restore the JR Kesennuma Line and Ofunato Line, which were conventional lines that suffered major damage in the Great East Japan Earthquake. Because it can be operated at a lower cost than trains, it is increasingly being considered as an alternative to local lines, regardless of disasters. Overseas, it is common practice to invest a certain amount of money to create dedicated roads and lanes for buses to prevent delays. Intersections may be given priority green lights, or measures may be taken to reduce the flow of vehicles crossing the path of buses. To prevent bus delays due to fare payment, there is also a system where you pay the fare at the bus stop. The first pre-operation began in October 2020. There was only one route. The event was originally scheduled to begin in May, before the Tokyo Olympics, but was postponed due to the spread of the virus. The second pre-operation began in April 2023. New bus stops have been built and moved, and the number of routes has increased to three. The first pre-operation route will be extended via Toyosu, and a new main route will be created that will pass through Toyosu Market and the International Exhibition Center. A new route between Shinbashi-Katsudoki and back has also been established. We had planned to start the project earlier, but the bidding for new bus stop construction work, which was scheduled to take place from January to March 2022, failed and was postponed. In February of this year, the Olympic Village route began operating. With access to Harumi Flag in mind, Kachidoki BRT bus stop is a great option to pass through. At the same time, some of the main routes now start and end at Toranomon Hills. After hosting the Olympics one year late, residents began moving into the 21 apartment buildings in Harumi Flag in January of this year, and elementary and junior high schools opened in April of this year. Although the two main tower buildings are still under construction, the population is steadily increasing, and many people commute to work and school in the morning. The average price of housing units sold at that time was approximately 75 million yen. The price, which is cheaper than the surrounding market price, has made it popular, and the lottery multiplier was up to 266 times. Harumi Flag was a hot topic when it was sold, but as mentioned earlier, transportation access is poor, and the nearest station is over 1 km away. Kachidoki Station on the Toei Oedo Line had small facilities and poor circulation, due to conflicts with the road plan at the time of its construction and pressure to reduce construction costs. Due to the development of offices and condominiums after opening, the number of passengers has increased dramatically, necessitating major remodeling to add more platforms. Stations were still congested, and bus routes were developed because commuting transportation could not be left to such a distant and crowded station. There are also numerous bicycle rental ports in the area. It’s probably because it was a new city that it was easy to incorporate into the maintenance plan, but the numbers are spectacular. You can see the effort put into improving transportation access, even if just a little. In addition to Harumi Gochome Terminal, there are two bus stops within Harumi Flag. Although the route map shows it as a loop, it actually operates in a slightly different manner. Rapid buses are available on the Olympic Village route. In order to quickly get the vehicle back to Harumi Gochome Terminal during the busiest times, we will take a shortcut along the way only in the morning when there are many trains. The Harumi Futo Park bus stop along the way is literally near the park, and there are only parks and houses around. Some morning outbound flights take shortcuts because no one makes this their destination in the morning. There is also a rapid service on the main route that does not go through Harumi Pier Park. On the other hand, the Kachidoki route, which only has one section, is essentially dormant. There are 3 types of vehicles. The articulated bus is the first domestically produced vehicle, whereas up until then all the vehicles had been made overseas, and the ease of supplying parts is likely to give momentum to the introduction of domestic articulated buses. It has a capacity of 119 people, but since there is only one car, it is limited to part of the main route. Therefore, at present, most trains are operated by ordinary vehicles called unicycles. The service will be operated by Keisei Bus and Tokyo BRT Co., Ltd., a new company established by Keisei Bus. Tokyo BRT’s head office is attached to the Keisei Bus head office in Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture, and operation operations are handled by the Shiomi Office in Shiomi, Koto Ward. The service base for Keisei Bus services is the Keisei Bus Shinonome Garage in Shinonome, Koto Ward. It seems that the buses to Toyosu Market in the morning and evening run to and from this garage. In December of last year, the city’s presence is increasing, with a direct flight connecting Shimbashi Station and Kokusai Tenjijo Station for an event held at the International Exhibition Center. In March of this year, we began supporting credit card touch payments, which is still rare among domestic transportation facilities. When the first phase of pre-operation began, the transportation capacity was approximately 450 passengers per hour, with 6 flights each way, but it is planned to increase to approximately 2,000 passengers per hour, with 20 flights each way, when full-scale operation begins. Measures are also being considered to improve punctuality. The credit boarding system allows passengers to get on and off the train through all doors, and was introduced in Japan at the Light Line, which opened in August last year, but there are still very few operators that have introduced it on a large scale. Tokyo BRT vehicles are equipped with IC card readers on all doors with the aim of introducing a credit card system. Also, the website shows an image of a nice bus stop with a roof. With the establishment of the new Olympic Village route, the routes that were envisioned at the time of full-scale operation are now complete. However, the credit boarding system has not yet been introduced, and you must board from the front door. I wonder if it’s a special operation because it’s the first bus stop. We will follow the current situation and future of Tokyo BRT, which for some reason remains unresolved. Take the Athletes Village route bus bound for Shinbashi. Here is the inside of the car. The woodgrain veneer and black-based interior will lift your mood. There are also Tokyo BRT stickers and embroidery on the front and back of the seats. There are also power outlets next to the seats, and free Wi-Fi is available. I’m leaving. Bus passengers numbered in single digits. It’s a bit sad, but what will happen next? Go around the rotary and exit. There are no traffic lights at the entrances and exits of the rotary. The bus visually checks for safety and turns right onto the road. On the left in the direction of travel, there is a row of condominiums that have just started moving in. Turn left at the next intersection and you’ll find Harumi Pier Park. At this point, more passengers arrive and the seats are about half full. In the previous cut, the roof of the bus stop was visible, but this bus stop has not yet been constructed and passengers board and alight from the space in front. This is a very temporary mode of operation, with temporary members placed on the curb to help people overcome the difference in level. At the main location, the roof and paving stones have been installed, and benches and other equipment are in progress. The bus stop in the opposite direction is still under construction and materials are being piled up. This is the main street of Harumi Flag, and there is a bicycle lane between the sidewalk and the road. A bicycle rental port can be seen in the field of view, indicating that bicycles are being positioned as a major means of transportation. Wait at the traffic light in front of Tawaman, which is under construction, and stop at the next Harumirai bus stop. “Harumirai” is a public facility located near the commercial facility you can see now, and is a cultural exchange hub that includes a learning studio, an exercise studio, and a children’s space. It’s a little far from the Toei bus stop, and the location itself is right next to the incineration plant. Passengers board the train here as well, and all the seats are occupied. There were only a few people standing, so it was far from full. At the next intersection, we wait for a traffic light and are stranded for a while to make a left turn. Once you cross the canal, the road splits into two. The road going down at the back will hit an intersection ahead. You will lose time waiting at the traffic lights, but there is a Kachidoki BRT bus stop just beyond the intersection, so buses on the main route will pass below. On the other hand, this method goes beyond that, which saves time. Here is a look at Kachidoki BRT bus stop. This was during the day on a Saturday and a holiday, so there weren’t many people around as the buses had just left, but in the morning there were about 30 people in line, making it quite a success. Kachidoki Station, which has the same name, is about 400 meters away, and although some people choose to walk there, there seems to be a fair amount of demand for buses that connect directly to Shinbashi Station. After passing the overpass, you will not be crossing the canal, but the Sumida River. This Tsukiji Ohashi Bridge was built to connect to the road that runs through the site of the Tsukiji Market. At this point, the lanes split again. The upper lane will become an intersection ahead, while the lower lane you are currently running will enter a tunnel and take a shortcut through these intersections. Inside the tunnel, the lanes split to the left and right, and the lane heading to the left continues through the tunnel, but this one exits above ground again. Turn right at the next traffic light. Just in time, the traffic light turned green, so I continued on. The traffic light turned red with a slight difference, and you can see that I was able to pass at the last minute. Turn left at the next traffic light. Once again, the green light came at the right time, so I was able to get from Harumirai bus stop to Shinbashi bus stop by just getting caught at one traffic light. This is the last stop, so all passengers get off. The Shinbashi bus stop is lined up in front and back, and the booth I got off at was used by buses bound for Harumi Flag and Toranomon Hills. The bus I was on turned back to the express train bound for Harumi Flag, and we quickly departed. On the other hand, the booth in the back is the boarding area for Harumi, Toyosu, and International Exhibition Center. What came there was the only articulated bus on Tokyo BRT. Its 18m long body is truly impressive. This bus goes down the main route from Toranomon Hills to the International Exhibition Center. Of the buses that depart from and arrive at Toranomon Hills, this is the only articulated bus. There seem to be 30 to 40 people lined up at the booth, but it has an outstanding capacity to accommodate more and more people. The person walking in front of you is a passenger who has just arrived at the bus stop behind you and got off the bus that is the last stop. The destination on the way back was the same as the previous articulated bus, the International Exhibition Center. Unlike that articulated bus, in order to get off at Shinbashi, passengers are dropped off at the front booth and then moved to the front. The articulated bus was originally supposed to leave at 8:50, but it now leaves at the same time as the 8:58 bus. Next came the bus bound for Toranomon Hills that departed from the booth in the foreground. Let’s go to Toranomon Hills. Tokyo BRT fares are a flat 220 yen for adults, but there are transfer discounts available since you may not be able to reach your destination without changing buses. If you use an IC card, if you take the second ride within 60 minutes of your first ride, the second ride will be free. However, this only applies to Suica and PASMO, and does not apply to other IC cards or cash. Also, the 500 yen adult one-day pass can only be loaded onto Suica or PASMO, and cannot be paid in cash. Although it seems to be running smoothly, I often get caught at traffic lights and it takes a lot of time. There are some places, like the intersection mentioned earlier, where you have to wait until the right turn arrow appears. Under the road between Shinbashi and Toranomon Hills, commonly known as "Shintora Dori," there is still a tunnel that branches off just before Shinbashi Station, and there is an entrance that can merge into that tunnel, but the Tokyo BRT route Since it does not engage, it continues running on the ground. Go around the side of the building and enter the bus stop. Once the car crosses the sidewalk, the car shakes quite a bit. Articulated buses can also be used here, but please be careful when driving. The bus stop is located next to the parking space for general cars and the driveway, and is not surprisingly large. Fewer than 30 passengers got off the plane. Toranomon Hills Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line opened for business in July of last year, and the station tower attached to the station has also come into operation, making it steadily more crowded, but it feels like it has been left behind. There are only 4 trains per hour on weekday mornings, and 3 trains per hour on other days, so there aren’t that many trains. Tokyo BRT still has many challenges to overcome. Let’s take a look at the issues that we can understand and the issues that we don’t understand from the scenes we’ve seen so far. There are no dedicated roads or lanes on the Tokyo BRT route. Shortcuts at intersections are limited to overpasses and tunnels that the Olympic Village route passes through. Additionally, the introduction of PTPS (Public Vehicle Priority System), which gives priority to buses at intersections, is being considered, but this has not yet been implemented. It was a coincidence that the bus I took on the Olympic Village route almost didn’t get caught at the traffic lights, and if the timing was bad, the journey time would be significantly longer. Since there are no dedicated roads or lanes, punctuality will no longer be possible if the roads become congested. Additionally, fares cannot be collected at the bus stop; all payments must be made on the bus. There are IC card readers at all doors, but the credit boarding system has not started, so you basically get on at the front and get off at the end. At the final stop, you can get off the train through all the doors, but this is possible because the fare is flat and paid in advance, which is different from the credit boarding system. The reason why the number of articulated buses is slow to increase is not only due to problems in procuring vehicles, but also due to problems in collecting fares. If you continue to get on and off at the front on a long articulated bus, it will take time to exchange fares and punctuality will suffer. However, the only way to secure transportation capacity with single-car type buses is to increase the number of buses, which makes it difficult to secure drivers, and if buses run constantly, it will become difficult to operate PTPS. Although there is a wide range of definitions of BRT, its current status is the same as regular route buses, and Tokyo BRT cannot be called BRT. Additionally, many people seem to mistake the Tokyo BRT for a type of metropolitan bus, and the official government has issued a warning on social media. While Toei Bus has a variety of systems, and there are free passes that link with JR and subway lines, Tokyo BRT does not have such a system and lacks area coverage. Also, with the exception of some bus stops, bus stops do not have roofs. Construction of the Harumi Flag bus stop has also been carried out since the tenant began moving in, and the Harumirai bus stop, which appears to have been completed, still has a construction sign and there are traces of construction on the Braille blocks. Since the website advertises the facility as having a roof, did they have to temporarily lower the specifications due to the high construction costs? Additionally, efforts are being made to introduce a system that will allow buses to stop at bus stops to eliminate gaps, but this is also not yet completed. The platform at Shimbashi Station is far from the JR and subway stations, making it less convenient than the Toei Bus located in front of the station. Some metropolitan bus stops have a function that lets you know where the next bus is, but Tokyo BRT does not have such a function. Although efforts are being made to improve the service, such as by making it possible to use the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Silver Pass, there is little merit in building it separately from the Tokyo Metropolitan Bus. Most of the planned menus have not materialized, and even now that the Olympic Village route has been completed, the words "full-fledged operation" that were mentioned at the planning stage have not been used. And there are other places where unresolved developments can be seen. That is Harumi BRT Terminal, a bus stop on the Harumi-Toyosu route that was the base during the first pre-operation. The bus stop that is now along the road was on the land next to this during the first pre-operation period. The back area is where buses enter and exit, and it is still in use. The foreground remains as a pedestrian walkway. There is a parked bus on the other side of the wire fence. This is used as a bus waiting area. There is also a large open space on the other side of the pedestrian walkway. There is a plan to build a full-scale terminal in the future, but the area is land owned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Ports and Harbors Bureau, and there are many issues to be discussed with neighboring residents and related parties, so it is taking time. Although the current bus stop will be moved eventually, there are bus stops for the Toei Bus and the Chuo Ward Community Bus in front of and behind it, and compared to those that have a roof, it feels a little lonely. The starting point of the Harumi-Toyosu route, Michino Terrace Toyosu, is located on the first floor of the commercial facility of the same name. Mebukusu Toyosu, where the signboards are lined up, is an office block, but there are still a lot of empty spaces. It’s a full-fledged covered bus stop with a waiting area, but it’s not very popular even during the daytime on weekends and holidays due to the busyness of the facility itself. Nearby, next to the bus stop on the main route, a commercial facility called “Senkyomarai” has opened, which is attached to Toyosu Market. Although they are close in distance, it was not possible to combine the bus stops due to conflicts with each route. This is true not only for Tokyo BRT but also for buses. The Tokyo BRT is planning to extend the line to Ginza and other Tokyo areas in the future, and in November 2022, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will announce the Rinkai Subway concept. It has a total length of 6.1km, and part of it overlaps with the main route. The future of Tokyo BRT is likely to be in doubt, but the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has announced that the construction cost of this new line will be approximately 420 to 510 billion yen, or approximately 690 to 84 billion yen per kilometer. The highest construction cost for a public subway in the past was 29.3 billion yen per kilometer from fiscal 1996 to 2000. It costs an enormous amount, 2.4 to 2.9 times that amount. This is because it runs deeper than other lines, and the roads are narrow, requiring two-story stations. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government aims to open the line in 2040, and has selected an operator to operate the Rinkai Line as the specific operating entity, but it is unclear whether things will go as planned. Events commemorating the opening of the town will also be held at Harumi Flag, which is expected to increase the vibrancy. Tokyo BRT will be responsible for transportation in the bay area for quite some time. I want them to recover from this. Thank you for your viewing.

●チャプター
0:00 オープニング
0:22 晴海フラッグ
1:30 晴海五丁目バスターミナル
3:36 東京BRTの歴史・路線概要
8:12 車両・運行事業者
9:09 今後の展望
10:33 選手村ルート(新橋行き)
14:53 新橋バス停
16:11 晴海・豊洲ルート(新橋→虎ノ門ヒルズ)
18:17 東京BRTの課題
18:17 ハード面の課題
21:41 他のバス停の課題(晴海BRTターミナル)
22:31 他のバス停の課題(ミチノテラス豊洲・豊洲市場前)
23:16 臨海地下鉄構想

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