The Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ plan to establish a train carriage dedicated exclusively to parents and children has drawn mixed reactions, with some questioning the idea’s feasibility given trains’ limited space and others supporting it because it would improve children’s safety.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) lauded the proposal, saying the ministry would put the plan to a test run on the railway system’s branch lines after a comprehensive assessment is carried out.
He made the remarks at a recent legislative question-and-answer session in response to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌), who said children often feel uneasy on trains, causing some parents to refrain from using them for family trips.
Tsai cited the Aso Boy Express run by Japan’s JR Kyushu Railway Co as an example of the proposal’s aim, saying the train has won many favorable reviews of its amenities targeting children, such as a ball pool filled with wooden balls and a reading room stocked with picture books.
He also suggested that the ministry take inspiration for the parent-and-child carriage from one designed by a German railway company, which provides blocks, toy cars and downscaled sofas for child passengers.
However, some netizens attacked the idea, with one saying: “Taiwan’s railways are narrower [than other countries’] and therefore its trains are not suitable for a parent-and-child coach because it would not be cost-efficient.”
“Even trains operating along branch lines are fully packed on holidays. Passengers are often forced to buy standing tickets during these periods, so how can there be space for such a design?” another Internet user commented.
Parents generally approved of the plan, saying that they would use Taiwan Railways Administration services more if the company were to offer the specialized carriage.
Cheng Ming-chang (鄭銘彰), an expert on trains said a parent-and-child only coach would definitely affect other passengers on weekends.
“Families usually take trips on weekends, so the plan would bring little economic benefit during weekdays. The plan should take the form of ‘cruise liner trains’ — train services that pass through select tourist spots and set off on designated dates only — as seen in current programs by the Taiwan Railways Administration,” Cheng said.
A spokesperson for the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp said the company has been considering similar ideas since it rolled out trains decorated with cartoon characters and they were well-received.
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