by Lee jonggu
Published 24 Dec.2024 16:17(KST)
Gyeonggi Yangju City (Mayor Kang Su-hyun) announced that it is continuously making requests and holding consultations regarding the increase of Gyeongwon Line trains and the introduction of shuttle trains, and will actively promote these efforts in 2025 as well.
According to the city on the 24th, to alleviate transportation inconveniences for residents of the new town, the city has continuously proposed various measures aimed at increasing Gyeongwon Line trains, such as having express trains stop at Deokgye Station and extending the terminal station from Yangju to Deokjeong. However, since direct extension negotiations are difficult at this point, Yangju City pursued the introduction of shuttle trains as an alternative.
Yangju City has held multiple consultations with Korea Railroad Corporation, Dongducheon City, and Uijeongbu City to introduce shuttle trains. Despite efforts to request national funding support for the 4.7 billion KRW facility improvement cost for shuttle upgrades due to the city's poor financial condition, the request was not reflected. Therefore, the city plans to secure city funds in the 2025 supplementary budget and actively promote shuttle operations.
Discussions will continue on operating the shuttle on the ‘Uijeongbu~Yangju~Dongducheon’ section rather than just the ‘Yangju~Dongducheon’ section, and efforts will be made to ensure that shuttle transfers at Yangju Station are applied as flat transfers rather than the existing three-dimensional transfers with Line 1.
Additionally, to reduce city budget expenses, the city plans to request subsidies from the province for the screen door improvement costs among the facility upgrade expenses, in accordance with Article 10 (Standards for Provincial Subsidy Support) of the 'Gyeonggi-do Ordinance on the Promotion of Railroad Projects.'
Yangju City stated that while it will focus on the short-term introduction of shuttle trains, it will continue efforts for the long-term increase of Gyeongwon Line trains, including the direct extension of Line 1 to Deokjeong Station and additional stops of express trains at Deokgye Station.
Mayor Kang Su-hyun said, “I deeply empathize with the inconveniences our citizens face in using the railroad, and we will actively work to resolve them. We will also actively request budget securing for facility improvement costs for shuttle operations and national and provincial funding support. We will do our utmost to ensure that the shuttle can operate as soon as possible to practically enhance the convenience of our citizens.”
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