>>1520696My expectations for the Utsunomiya LRT are absolutely immense. I really really hope that it becomes popular and turns out financially sound.
It is literally the first and only true LRT system in Japan, given that others such as Toyama a couple years ago were old JR local lines turn into pseudo-LRT. They have been relatively successful as well, but you cannot really compare it to the project in Utsunomiya.
With the amount of quite populous medium sized cities in Japan, its a real shame that Japan doesn't have LRT yet. Rail in Japan seems to be pretty much only developed (or rather should I say successful) in the major huge urban areas. All the other ones are basically losing money as far as I'm aware.
I hope the Utsunomiya LRT will FINALLY lead Kyoto to get up from their lazy asses and replace some of these stupid bus lines that are literally the busiest bus lines in the fucking country. Then again the old Kyoto family NIMBYs and the shitty city government here might prevent it from happening. They already nuked the Imadegawa LRT project in 2007.
The demand is there, as evidenced by the crazy busy bus lines. The government is just too much of a pussy to reduce the number of car lanes, its absolutely disgusting!