In order to improve the service capacity between Wugu in New Taipei City and between Bali and Banqiao, Guide Passenger Transport and Tamsui Passenger Transport announced that the 963 "Bali-Banqiao" direct train will be integrated into the full-distance train (main line) starting from September 30. The news triggered discussions among netizens and commuters, who were worried about longer commuting times, insufficient 988 replacement capacity, and traffic congestion in Bali. In response, Cai Qinan, Assistant Director of Tamsui Passenger Transport, responded that the consolidation was to allocate transport capacity based on actual passenger conditions, and the total number of flights has not been reduced.
Tamsui Passenger Transport announced that 963 will adjust its operation mode starting from September 30. The original direct trains will be merged into full trains (main line). According to the announced schedule, a total of 26 flights are planned on weekdays, and 4 flights will be maintained on holidays. After the news was exposed, it triggered heated discussions in the local community. Many people thought that "it is finally possible to shorten the distance to Banqiao, but it will take a lot of time." "Can't we drive another express bus from Bali to Banqiao? We can't just take care of Tamsui District." Some people said bluntly that "the people of Bali have been sacrificed again."
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Regarding the alternative 988 bus, people also reported that "the 988 line 64 cannot stand, and you can't get on the bus if you drive from Tamsui. There are only a few seats left in Bali in the morning. It is a gamble." They are also puzzled by the fact that there are only 4 buses in the whole day of the 963 holiday.
Cai Qinan explained that 963 was originally divided into a direct train that takes Chengtai Road and goes directly to the elevated road, and a main line that takes Tai Road and detours to Wugu and then takes the elevated road on Zhongxing Road. Due to the high demand for rides along the route from Chengzhou Road to Wugu Service Club, buses with more than 40 seats are often full at Wugu Service Club. On the other hand, the direct train only has more than 10 passengers at Baliduan, so it was decided to stop the direct train and merge it into the main line, leaving the capacity for the section with higher demand.
In response to the public's demand for the Banqiao expressway network, Cai Qinan said that currently, the 988 bus runs directly from Tamsui to Banqiao via Bali on Line 64, which has a substitute function. The 963 direct train function does not exist, and there are almost no households and passengers on the Guanduqiao to Shizitou section; and after the consolidation of the 963 lines, all the original direct train frequency has been moved to the main line. The total number of daily flights has not been reduced, and the travel time has only slightly increased.
As for the fact that there are only four buses on holidays, Cai Qinan pointed out that the number of tourists who usually take buses during the Baliduan holiday has been significantly reduced. Most of them ride bicycles to visit the surrounding areas of the 13th Line. After assessing the demand, the main bus buses can be completely replaced.
In response to the traffic jams and bus queues in Bali during peak hours, Cai Qinan said that Bali Zhongshan Road is a two-way single lane with limited road width. Buses have fixed routes and cannot be rerouted at will. They are prone to traffic jams at traffic lights or emergencies. In addition, factors such as the traffic flow on the Long-shaped approach to Guandu during off-duty hours and the confluence of Taipei Port gravel trucks on Zhonghua Road will affect traffic. It is recommended that passers-by use Zhonghua Road to avoid congested sections.
