方向転換を解消する西武「短絡線」計画 建設用地の確保から数十年、実現の可能性は？
西武は「実施する段階でない」とするが…
短絡線の計画再開を求める声は折に触れて浮上していますが、西武は積極的ではありません。たとえば、埼玉県は2009（平成21）年度に「短絡線の整備による所要時間の短縮」を西武に要望していますが、西武は「現在の池袋線の需要状況から、短絡線整備を実施する段階でないため、将来の輸送需要を踏まえながら検討を進めたいと考えている」と回答したといいます。
実際、西武池袋線の飯能～吾野間と西武秩父線の利用者は減少し続けていました。西武秩父駅の場合、1日平均乗降人員は2005（平成17）年度が8065人だったのに対し、2009（平成21）年度は約1割減の7194人で、2012（平成24）年度には6655人まで落ち込みました。建設用地が確保済みとはいえ、線路を敷くのには相当な費用がかかりますし、利用者が増加どころか減少し続けるのであれば、鉄道会社としても手が出せません。
ただ、2013（平成25）年度以降は訪日外国人観光客の増加もあり、西武秩父駅の利用者も増え続けています。2017（平成29）年度は7418人で、2009（平成21）年度を上回りました。2016年に観光列車「西武 旅するレストラン 52席の至福」、2017年に着席指定列車「S-TRAIN（Sトレイン）」が運転を開始したことも、利用者の増加に寄与したと思われます。
2019年3月には、池袋～西武秩父間の特急列車に新型車両の001系電車「Laview（ラビュー）」が導入されました。こうした西武秩父線の活性化策により利用者が大幅に増え続けるようなら、「輸送需要を踏まえ」て短絡線の計画を再開する日が来るかもしれません。
【了】
編集部おすすめ記事
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