上野東京線將會開通、常磐線特急名称変更

A few weeks ago the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

上野東京ライン開業決定、常磐線特急も名称変更

2014年10月31日 23時12分

　ＪＲ東日本が上野―東京駅間で線路建設を進める「上野東京ライン」開業が来年３月１４日に決まり、常磐線の二つの特急はそれぞれ「ときわ」「ひたち」に名称が変わるほか、一部の電車がいわき（福島県）―品川駅を運行する。

　ＪＲ東によると、同ラインの開業で、上野駅止まりだった高崎線、宇都宮線、常磐線（快速）の上り線は、朝の通勤ピーク時に各５本ずつ、東京駅方面へ乗り入れる。３線の利用者は上野駅での山手線、京浜東北線への乗り換えが不要となり、所要時間は１０分近く短くなる。通勤ピーク時の午前８～９時に同ラインを利用するのは約３万５０００人に上るため、上野―東京駅間の両線の混雑率は２００％超から１８０％以下に減少する見通しとなっている。

(試譯文)

Regarding the JR East Japan, the railroad track construction between Ueno-Tokyo stations was advancing; it was decided that the "Ueno - Tokyo Line" would be open on March 14th next year. In addition, the two express of the Joban Line respectively the "Tokiwa" and "Hitachi" would have name changes, some of the trains would travel between Iwaki (Fukushima) and Shinagawa stations.

  According to JR East, at the same time when this line was open, those lines which stopped at the Ueno station: the Takasaki Line, Utsunomiya Line, and Joban Line (rapid train) which going up-town, each would have 5 times pulling into Tokyo station during peak traveling time in the morning. For the users of these 3 lines, a transfer to Yamanote Line and Keihin Tohoku Line at Ueno station would not be necessary, and the time required would be shorten by almost 10 minutes. For the about 35,000 people who used the said lines at 8.00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. at the peak commuting time, it was estimated that the passenger ratio of the lines between Ueno-Tokyo stations would decrease from over 200% to below 180 %.

There would be an obvious improvement in traveling time when the "Ueno - Tokyo Line" is open.