With evolving public transportation system, Gyeonggi-do will connect every region in Korea closer
Gyeonggi-do, as the
industrial and economical backbone of Korea, keeps progressing to be a global
province of Asia - Pacific region as well. Following this advance, the traffic
volume of Gyeonggi-do has increased dramatically since the late 2000s. This
trend inevitably caused the importance of comprehensive public transportation
control, expanding infrastructure and integrated management of advanced
operating transportation systems. Especially, public transportation which is
the most beloved mobility in Gyeonggi-do is much more important. For this, the
provincial government is doing its best to respond to the need of the people,
by establishing an efficient operating system and various ways of public
transportation.
Gyeonggi BUS(G-bus) system: the main artery of the province
Gyeonggi-do owns 10,185
square kilometers of land, which is about 10% of whole South Korea, and 13.65
million people are living in it. About 98.2% of them own public transportation
card and an average of 119.76 million people ride the bus every month. 65
companies operate 2,126 routes to carry passengers throughout the metropolitan
area. Also, 391 routes pass by Seoul and these numbers are more than enough to
prove that buses are one of the most commonly used means of transportation in
the province. Therefore, Gyeonggi-do is striving to ensure the convenience of
citizens by establishing various policies and infrastructure.
 |
| G-bus offers double deck bus to carry more citizens only in Korea |
To provide residents with
the most comfortable and safe public transportation, Gyeonggi-do is pushing various
measures. First, the province decided to enlarge the number of a 'Red’ bus
which covers a wide area, usually used for commuting, and a bus of regular
pass. By doing this, the number of standing passengers dramatically dropped and
this was very effective in terms of safety. The rate of standing passenger
reduced to 9.2% and this is almost half of the number of 2014, which was 18.1%.
Also, the enlargement of the number of a late-night bus helps citizens to cope
with their diversified life patterns and reduce a late-night transportation
fee.
The improvement of the
transportation environment for the "traffic weak" who are in a
difficult situation to use public transportation is what Gyeonggi Province is
keenly concerned about. Gyeonggi Province established 'Plan for the Expansion
of Public Bus on November 18 and secured 14 additional buses by December 19.
The province plans to continue to make efforts to secure its policy goal of 155
units by 2022.
As public transportation is
one of the most important aspects of the residents, it is essential to provide
consistent service at all times. If there is a strike due to the conflict
between the company and the labor, or a suspension due to a lack of drivers, it
will cause inconvenience to many people. To prevent this from happening, the
Gyeonggi Provincial Government is making efforts to establish an early
settlement of the revised Labor Standards Act to induce long-term solid work
period through improved treatment of bus drivers and to lay the foundation for
new drivers. To this end, the Gyeonggi provincial government provided the basis
for supporting the 7th term of the civil service's pledge to improve the
transportation service, which was made 20 times to the central government and
five times to the National Assembly.
 |
| Eco-friendly bus charging center in Suwon |
GTX: a new rising mobility
Of course, buses are the
most popular means of transportation for Gyeonggi-do residents, but there are
limitations due to transportation distance and traffic congestion. The
situation in Seoul, where traffic jams are considered particularly severe, and
the recent trend of moving residences to the outskirts of the Seoul
metropolitan area is experiencing the lack of bus. Accordingly, the necessity
of transportation covering a wider distance has been steadily raised. The answer
is 'GTX.' The GTX aims to establish a rail network linking its main hub outside
the capital city to the 30-minute zone in a bid to ease traffic difficulties
and enhance transportation welfare for long-distance commuters. It will invest
a total of 15 trillion won to build three routes -- A, B and C.
Route A linking Samsung to
Dongtan is already under construction, and the construction of the project from
Paju to Samsung was approved on December 18 and the construction began on June
19 and is scheduled to be completed by 23. Route B and C are also waiting for
construction after passing preliminary feasibility test.
The GTX will have many
effects. First of all, the broadening of the radius of living in the Seoul
metropolitan area is expected. The capital area, the center of the Republic of
Korea, is a very densely populated area, which caused housing prices in the
Seoul area to be rocketed. Also, long-distance commuters had to suffer great
inconveniences due to traffic congestion. However, the GTX construction, if
completed, will ease the traffic jams, the chronic disease of Seoul. When Route
A is completed, the daily traffic volume of passenger cars is expected to
decrease by 50,000 units (as of 2025). Therefore, the quality of life for
residents in the Seoul metropolitan area will also improve by relieving stress
and reducing commuting time.
Another advantage would be
the improvement in logistics within the Seoul metropolitan area. The GTX will
be able to arrive within about 30 minutes from Gyeonggi-do to central Seoul.
This will lead to more active logistics, which could lead to faster development
in the metropolitan area. Besides, as Seoul and Gyeonggi-do gets closer,
companies in Gyeonggi-do ca be expected to be more competitive.
 |
| Dongtan will be the hub of Gyeonggi-do's transportation system |
Although the Industry 4.0 has started with cutting-edge technologies, the value of transportation does not fade away. As more people seek a higher quality of life than ever before, the value of faster and more convenient mobility is increasing and public transportation is evolving accordingly. Gyeonggi-do is responding to demands by establishing various policies to help residents move quickly, safely and comfortably, and will continue to collect more opinions to make the province even better place to live.
COMMENTS