Longer operating hours for LRT-1 starting July 10

The Light Rail Transit 1. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The private sector operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) is planning to extend its operations with a trial run set to start next week.

The Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) led by Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp. said on Thursday that the extended operating hours would take effect from July 10 to Aug. 9.

During this period, the northbound trains of the LRT- will leave Baclaran station at 9:40 p.m., 9:50 p.m. and 10 p.m. while the southbound trains will depart from Roosevelt station at 10:10 p.m. and 10:15 p.m.

On weekends and holidays, northbound trains will leave Baclaran station at 9:10 p.m., 9:20 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Southbound trains, on the other hand, will leave Roosevelt station at 9:40 p.m. and 9:50 p.m.

“If the test run will show an interest from the public, then we would be pleased to do a more detailed study to make it permanent,” LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Jesus Francisco said.

The LRT-1, the oldest of three elevated trains serving Metro Manila, currently has an average daily ridership of 400,000 commuters from Baclaran in Pasay City to Roosevelt in Quezon City.

The LRMC took over operation and maintenance of LRT-1 in September 2015. This was in line with its winning the P65-billion LRT-1 Cavite extension public-private partnership project.

As such, the LRMC will also be responsible for the construction of the 11.7-kilometer extension from the present end point at Baclaran to the Niog area in Bacoor, Cavite.

The extended rail line is expected to help increase the capacity of LRT-1 from 500,000 to 800,000 passengers daily and benefit more than four million residents in the southern part of Metro Manila and Cavite. –Miguel R. Camus