Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) on Sunday urged visitors to the city to walk or use public transport such as the city’s T-Bike rental system or its buses, citing traffic congestion at major tourist spots.
The city is a major destination for visitors who are drawn to its slow pace, friendly locals, abundant historical sites and local cuisine, Lai said on Facebook.
As many visitors are Taiwanese, they tend to drive to the city in their own vehicles, Lai said, adding that walking or using public transport are more suitable ways to enjoy the city.
The Tainan City Government has been promoting the use of arcade-style architecture in its public spaces since 2012 to improve the flow of foot traffic throughout the city.
At the end of last year, about 30km of public space on 49 streets in 19 of the city’s administrative areas had been converted to arcade architecture.
Sites such as Tang Te-chang Memorial Park (湯德章紀念公園), the commercial area surrounding Tainan Railway Station, Confucius Temple Cultural Park (台南孔子廟) and the Chihkan Tower Cultural Park (赤崁樓) — also known as Fort Provintia — have been touted by the city as hubs that its urban development aims focus on, promoting the city as a place to roam on foot.
Tainan’s West Central District (中西) was the first part of the city to be developed, a Tainan Bureau of Transportation official said, adding that the district is home to the city’s oldest temples and architecture.
The city has installed 33 T-Bike stations in the area since August last year for use by visitors to the district, the official said.
The stations at the district’s Koxinga Shrine (延平郡王祠), the art museum and Chihkan Tower have been especially popular with non-resident visitors, the official said, adding that the bicycles make it easier to navigate the old, narrow alleys in the area than cars.
The district is accessible from the railway station by taking tourist bus No. 88, the official said.
A free bus is available on weekends for those visiting the historic Anping District (安平) and Anping Harbor, the official said.
T-Bikes can rented using EasyCards or any credit card.
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