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Ministry looks to increase use of `mosquito houses'

Motorists around the nation will soon be asked to park their vehicles at multi-story parking lots rather than on the roadside, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said recently.

The measure was part of the ministry's campaign to increase the usage of expensively built yet underused parking facilities, which are also known as "mosquito houses" (蚊子館).

The term "mosquito house" is commonly used to describe facilities that, instead of being used as car parks, exist only to raise hordes of mosquitoes becuase of poor management and planning.

The ministry convened a road safety meeting on Friday, where the Department of Highways and Railways reported that a total of 21 multi-story parking lots across the nation have been identified as having low occupancy rates all year round.

Specifically, six of the parking lots had not been used at all for quite a time, while the other 15 lots -- run by the government or contractors -- have been rarely used by motorists.

However, 16 of the facilities identified are in a close proximity to neighborhoods with known traffic problems.

The Changhwa County Government topped the list by area with five large underused parking lots under its jurisdiction.

The ministry launched a nationwide campaign to address the problem after it had been admonished several times by the Control Yuan and the Ministry of Audit for not actively managing the use of the multi-story parking lots.

Both the Control Yuan and the Ministry of Audit have launched investigations into the matter and both have also formally proposed steps to be taken by the MOTC to improve the management of the facilities.

The MOTC also said at Friday's meeting that it would begin notifying local governments that they are to start cracking down on illegal parking in areas close to the parking lots. Local transportation officials are to spend approximately two months promoting the use of the underused facilities.

The ministry is also mulling banning roadside parking in certain areas as a way to encourage the use of the parking facilities.

Meanwhile, bureau, divisional and departmental chiefs of the central government will no longer enjoy chauffeured vehicle services from the beginning of next year as the government seeks to promote energy conservation and environmental protection policies.

While local governments will not be compelled to also adopt the measures, Minister of the Central Personnel Administration Chou Hung-hsien (周弘憲) said they would be encouraged to follow suit.

Minister of the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics Hsu Chang-yao (許璋瑤) said the cancellation of the benefit would not have an impact on the government's operations.

Since 2001 the central government has capped the engine size of new vehicles to be purchased for public agency heads at 3,000cc and the price at NT$1.2 million (US$37,000), Hsu said.

The expiration age for vehicles used for official business has also been been extended to eight years, Hsu said. Those whose cars expire before the end of this year can apply for taxi fare expenses of up to NT$5,000 per month when on official business, he said.

Additional reporting by CNA
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