Cycles may be allowed on High Speed Rail

In the morning of May 1, 2013, Transport Ministry’s Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) organized a 2^nd Public Hearing on the High Speed Rail Study and Design Project for Bangkok – Chiang Mai Line, Phase 1, at Krungsri River Hotel in Ayutthaya City. Thailand Cycling Club (TCC) was invited to participate in the seminar again similar to the first one in January.

Apart from basic information of the project which could be found from the project’s website, www.thaihispeedtrain.com, participants in the seminar were informed its progress that what would be an appropriate route of the whole line. As the High Speed Rail (HSR) is expected to pass Phitsanuloke, a major city the Lower Northern Region, the choices were down from five to two, one which would go along the existing rail track, passing Uttaradit City and another one which would pass Sukhothai, a city designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. Design of detailed framework and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are also being carried out for part of the line between Bangkok and Phitsanuloke.

During comments, questions and answers session, TCC representative questioned about improvement of existing rail system, including having two parallel tracks and connections between rail system and non-motorised transport, that is walking and cycling, as any people can afford to use them. So they should be developed before or at least at the same time as the HSR.  

Dr. Pichet Kunathammarak, Head of OTP’s Inter-city Transport and Traffic Network Development Group as OTP representative, replied that it is being considered how to allow bicycles on HSR.  OPT recognized importance of the existing rail system and use of bicycle as HSR would only stop at 9 or 10 stations from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, to allow more people to use HSR service, it is necessary to provide more access by facilitating people to travel to these limited number of stations through bicycles and ordinary trains. He informed the audience that in fact development of the binary rail tracks has made much more advance than HSR and existing rail system would receive nearly the same amount of investment as HSR, but mass media did not report its progress.  He also insisted that OTP would definitely not support people to use personal cars to come to HSR stations, they would be encouraged to use public transport, bicycle and walking instead.

Reported by Gawin Chutima, TCC Representative in the public hearing.

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