Taipei City's Transportation Department yesterday defended its decision to clamp down on illegal bicycle parking, saying it would not fine owners for parking violations but would charge them for towing fees starting next year.
The department's announcement of its plan to remove bicycles parked on sidewalks or along red lines and charge owners a NT$100 removal fee and a maintenance fee of NT$50 per day has sparked an outcry from some residents and city councilors.
Department commissioner Luo Shiaw-shyan (羅孝賢) said the new policy was aimed at curbing the growing number of bicycle parking violations.
Although the owners will be charged if their bicycles are towed, they will not be fined for parking illegally as the department wanted to focus its efforts on promoting the policy in hopes that residents would be more responsible, Luo said.
Municipal regulations state that the fine for bicycle parking violations is NT$300. Luo said the department would not mete out fines until a bicycle registration system was established.
“We are trying to establish a better environment for pedestrians with the new policy. It's not our intention to fine bicycle owners,” Luo said during a municipal meeting yesterday.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Dai Hsi-chin (戴錫欽) and several other city councilors criticized the department for trying to punish bicycle owners without offering alternative solutions and supporting measures, such as providing enough parking space and completing the bicycle registration system.
Chen Kuan-long (陳冠龍), a division chief of Taipei City's Parking Office, acknowledged that the lack of a licensing system for bicycles would be a problem because it would be difficult to confirm the identity of the people claiming towed bicycles.
If more than one person tried to claim the same bicycle, the case will be turned over to the police department, Chen Kuan-long said.
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