“Chartered Buses vs. Hell Train: Solving Congestion on Gimpo Gold Line”

2023-04-24 11:03:18

◀ Reporter ▶

I’m Kim Hyun-ji and Yoo Seo-young, reporters from the Social Team.

We are at Geolpo Bukbyeon Station on the Gimpo Gold Line.

For the citizens of Gimpo who have been through ‘hell season’ on their way to work, chartered buses are being put in service from today.

Let’s go right away to see if the congestion of the Gold Line has improved or if there is an effect of distributing commuting to work as more citizens use the bus.

◀ Report ▶

I rode the notorious Gimpo Metro.

Still, getting on the train was better than I thought.

But it didn’t last long.

Every time I pass the station, a crowd rushes in.

″Please do not force yourself to board and use the next train.″

The voice of the announcement is urgent, but the passengers enter, crouching as if they are accustomed to it.

We’re stuck with each other now.

I can’t move and I have trouble standing upright.

[민성서/김포골드라인 승객]

″There are too many people, so come in. If there are a lot of people later, I can’t even take out my phone.”

The reason why I have no choice but to go through hell while shuddering at the chronic war at work.

[조민한/김포골드라인 승객]

″The traffic congestion is so severe during the morning commute, so I leave the car and take the subway…(subway dispatch interval) is only 2-3 minutes apart.″

I arrived at Gimpo Airport Station in 17 minutes following departing from Geolpo Bukbyeon Station.

Would I have been able to get here at this time by taking the bus?

The team coming by bus has not arrived yet.

At 8 am when the subway team departed, I took the 70 bus at the bus stop in front of Geolpo Buk-byeon Station.

It is the same route as the Gimpo Gold Line.

As you can see, the congestion in the bus is not very high.

It is a section where 4 lanes in the direction of Seoul are reduced to 2, near the Gochon Junction.

Even the bus-only lanes have disappeared, and from here on, vehicles are just standing there.

[유동훈/70번 버스 승객]

″It’s time to go to work a little late, so I said, “Let’s ride it,” so I rode it for the first time, but it’s blocked as I thought.″

Several number 70 buses are also crowded.

Gimpo City has put 8 chartered buses on this route from today, but there is no immediate countermeasure for the road being blocked.

Some passengers get off midway.

[김연경/개화역 하차 승객]

″I got off here because it seemed that the road from here to Gimpo Airport was blocked. It’s too crowded right now, so I come here and transfer once more to go to Gimpo Airport.”

I barely arrived at Gimpo Airport Station and went to take the subway once more, and it took a total of 35 minutes.

It’s more than twice as long as coming by subway.

[남재경]

″Even though there are already a lot of buses, there are always a lot of people, so shouldn’t the Gimpo Gold Line’s vehicles be made a little longer?″

The Gimpo Gold Line labor union held a press conference today and demanded direct management of the railroad in Gimpo City.

Local governments have been pouring out countermeasures recently, but the public can only find a fundamental solution.

Today, on the Gimpo Gold Line Hell Train, another passenger collapsed.

I’m going right away. These are Yu Seo-young and Kim Hyeon-ji.

Video coverage: Jang Young-geun, Wi Dong-won, Lim Ji-soo/Video editing: Jang Ye-eun

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