從政策的觀點探討鐵路虧損路線的存廢問題：日本個案的啟示

Abstract

八○年代後期，在各國興起一波波鐵路改革的熱潮中，主要是欲解決鐵路經營不善所累積的龐大債務，因此，最期盼藉由改革所達到的目的，應是提升鐵路事業的經營績效並減輕政府的財政負擔。然而，在一片避免政府介入和回歸市場機制的「自由化」聲浪中，政府是否就此完全退出交通市場，任其自由運作，亦或為維持民眾的交通權，對於影響民眾日常生活之虧損路線，在「最低限度」內予以補助，使其能維持正常營運，則是各國在進行鐵路改革後所必須面臨的另一項重要課題。本文主要是以日本為例，從政策的觀點來討論鐵路虧損路線的存廢與相關的責任問題。研究結果發現，鐵路虧損路線的存廢與否和政府對鐵路基礎設施的整備責任之認知、地方分權制度、補助制度的建立有相當的關連。

In the late 1980s when there rose with fervor in railway reforms in each country, the major issue came at bringing solutions to enormous debt amassed arising out poor operation of railway. An achievement of enhancement of the operation performance for railway business, therefore, was the most urgent task through reforms, at the hope of alleviating the government’s financial burden. During the wave of avoiding the government’s interference and “Liberalization” of returning to market function, however, whether the government shall withdraw from traffic market completely and leave it in liberal operation or subsidy for the deficit rail lines which would affect people’s daily life in “the lowest limit” for the sake of maintaining people’s traffic rights to make its normal operation is another significant issue that each country must face after carrying out the railway reforms. Taking the case study of Japan as example, this study aims at exploring the issue of existence and abolishment for deficit railway lines in terms of policy as well as the related issues of responsibility. Findings of research reveal that issues concerning the existence and abolishment of deficit rail lines have relative correlation to the government’s cognition over the readiness and responsibility to infrastructure of the railway, and the establishment of local decentralization system and subsidiary system.