The Heisei Chikuho Railway in Fukuoka Prefecture will be discontinued and replaced by a bus-based system, following a formal decision on March 25 by a council of nine municipalities, the prefectural government, and transport operators. The third-sector railway, which connects the Chikuho and Keichiku regions, has faced sustained ridership declines due to population loss. Three options were considered—rail restructuring, bus rapid transit, and route buses—with the bus conversion selected as the least financially burdensome, projecting deficits of ¥11 billion over 30 years. Five of nine municipalities supported the plan, and local surveys showed backing tied to lower costs and continued access. The new system is expected to operate as a community bus network, possibly outsourced. Challenges include securing 44 drivers, addressing industry-wide labor shortages, and designing routes that balance access to schools and hospitals with reliability amid traffic delays. A regional transport plan will be compiled in fiscal 2026. Source: Nikkei / NHK
Photo: Fukuoka Now
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