ROYCE' Town Station

G11-1 ROYCE' Town Station ロイズタウン駅
Station building in March 2022
General information
Location	1225-9 Tōbetsubuto, Tōbetsu, Ishikari District Hokkaido Prefecture Japan
Coordinates	43°10′46.52″N 141°26′10.45″E
Operated by	JR Hokkaido
Line(s)	Sasshō Line
Distance	17.9 km (11.1 mi) from Sōen
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Construction
Structure type	At grade
Other information
Status	Unstaffed
Station code	G11-1
Website	https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/
History
Opened	12 March 2022; 2 years ago (2022-03-12)
Services
Preceding station JR Hokkaido Following station Ainosato-kōen G11 towards Sapporo Sasshō Line Futomi G12 towards Hokkaidō-Iryōdaigaku
Location ROYCE' Town Station Location within Hokkaido Show map of Hokkaido ROYCE' Town Station ROYCE' Town Station (Japan) Show map of Japan

ROYCE' Town Station (ロイズタウン駅) is an infill railway station on the Sasshō Line in Tōbetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan. The station is operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido).

Planning

The idea of building the station came about when the town of Tōbetsu and Royce', a chocolate manufacturing company, submitted a joint petition to JR Hokkaido, seeking to establish a new infill station.[1] The station was planned to improve convenience for visitors to Royce's Futomi factory, which is located along the Sasshō Line, as well as to attract private investments to develop housing sites and visitor facilities in the area surrounding the station.[2] Royce' paid ¥930 million for the construction of the station building and platform,[3][4] while the town of Tōbetsu would build the station square at an estimated cost of ¥546 million.[1][5]

Construction

Construction of the station began in the spring of 2021, and the station itself opened on 12 March 2022.[6] While most trains stop at the station, a minority of trains are timetabled to skip the station. Following the opening of the station, approximately 500 people were expected to use the station daily, according to JR Hokkaido.[7] Construction of the station square started later in June 2021; while the station square was originally meant to open in tandem with the railway station, a geological survey revealed that the site was on soft ground.[8] Thus, the opening of the station square was delayed, and was completed in March 2023.[5][8]

Station structure

The station consists of a station building as well as a single side platform.[6] The exterior of the station building is painted blue, derived from the brand colour of Royce',[9] while the interior is made of birch, a tree found in the town of Tōbetsu.[10]

• 
  Ticket gate
• 
  Platform
• 
  Station sign

References

1. "ＪＲ北の在来線、２０年ぶり新駅は「請願駅」…整備費を菓子会社「ロイズ」と町が負担 : 社会 : ニュース". 読売新聞オンライン (in Japanese). 14 October 2020. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
2. "札沼線あいの里公園―石狩太美間　新駅協議開始　当別町とロイズがＪＲと" (in Japanese). 7 March 2020. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
3. "当別の新駅名は「ロイズタウン」 ＪＲ北海道、２２年４月にも設置：北海道新聞 どうしん電子版". 北海道新聞 どうしん電子版 (in Japanese). 13 April 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
4. "駅前広場整備に５．５億円　札沼線新駅　６月にも着工" (in Japanese). 27 January 2021. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
5. "ＪＲ札沼線の新駅駅前広場整備に5.5億円を見込む 当別町 - 北海道建設新聞社 - e-kensin". 北海道建設新聞社 - e-kensin - 北海道を代表する建設業界紙のWeb版。北海道の公共工事や入札、公告、建設、建築、指名停止、経審、総合評価に関する情報やニュースを毎日配信。 (in Japanese). 20 January 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
6. "札沼線の駅（当別町内）に関するお知らせ" (PDF) (in Japanese). Hokkaido Railway Company. 14 April 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
7. Mainichi Shimbun (14 April 2021). "JR札沼線の新駅名は「ロイズタウン駅」に 22年開業予定". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). The Mainichi Newspapers Co. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
8. "完成時期23年3月に ＪＲ札沼線新駅前広場 - 北海道建設新聞社 - e-kensin". 北海道建設新聞社 - e-kensin - 北海道を代表する建設業界紙のWeb版。北海道の公共工事や入札、公告、建設、建築、指名停止、経審、総合評価に関する情報やニュースを毎日配信。 (in Japanese). 18 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
9. "20年ぶりの新駅名公表　「ロイズタウン駅」に" (in Japanese). 14 April 2021. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
10. "定住、交流人口増の起爆剤に ロイズタウン駅１２日開業 「当別の木」で駅舎に温かみ：北海道新聞 どうしん電子版". 北海道新聞 どうしん電子版 (in Japanese). 11 March 2022. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.