The recent opening of the Taoyuan International Airport MRT line once again underlined the importance of railway transportation. Systematic development should incorporate local transportation systems to form a network that can revitalize connected areas.
In addition to the airport MRT, the government has also initiated several other railway projects.
Taiwan’s rail system is made up of the Taiwan High Speed Rail, the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) system and urban MRT services, but they are not interconnected.
Apart from Taipei Railway Station and Nangang and Banciao railway stations, where the two lines meet, Taiwan High Speed Rail and the TRA are two separate systems, with their stations often far from each other. This has made it difficult to develop interconnecting networks.
Outside of Taipei and Kao-hsiung, Taichung was the first city to consider a rail network. Following the integration of Taichung city and county into the current greater Taichung, the Taichung City Government planned a transportation system similar to the Yamanote railway loop line in Tokyo. The project, which deserves much praise, is expected to delineate a new landscape for the city’s transportation systems and highlight the city’s transportation vision.
The transition from a highway-centric to a railway-centric approach is not only necessary to revitalize and rescue the TRA, but is also a breakthrough for the nation’s transportation.
Railways stretching from the north to the southwest play a central role in transportation in each region they serve, as does the railway that services Hualien and Taitung on the east coast.
Is it possible to build an interconnected rail network around the TRA stations in each of these regions? Moreover, is it possible to build rail networks connecting the MRT systems in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung to their surrounding areas? This would not only be a breakthrough for local transportation, it would also bring new life to the TRA.
There are five key regions that need to be addressed: Taipei, which is the center of the Taipei- New Taipei City-Keelung area; Hsinchu — the center of the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Maioli area; Taichung — the center of the Taichung-Changhua-Nantou area; Tainan — the center of the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan area; and Kaohsiung — the center of the Kaohsiung-Pingtung area.
The government should renovate railway stations in these five regions and turn them into business centers with office buildings, shopping malls and hotels. In addition, it should develop a better rail transportation network that includes MRT and tram lines.
The improvement of public transportation could help alleviate many problems, including the public’s over-reliance on cars and scooters and the isolation of some towns.
While the TRA appears oblivious to its problems, its employees seem to care only about securing their vested interests. Many of them are against privatizing the company, as they do not want to lose their public servant benefits.
The TRA should establish five companies to take charge of its main train stations in the above-mentioned five areas and solicit private sponsors. In addition, it should pursue listing on the stock market so that the public can contribute as well.
To revitalize an area, the government must first improve its transportation system. For the TRA to turn the situation around, it must be open to new ideas and approaches. Revitalized areas will lead to shared prosperity across areas.
For a nation like Taiwan, with high population density and limited land, the government must switch its focus to rail infrastructure instead of continuing on with a highway-centric approach.
Lee Min-yung is a poet.
Translated by Tu Yu-an
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