Taiwan is planning to construct 2,600km of bicycle lanes by 2011 to help promote the use of bicycles rather than motor vehicles.
"The idea is to help save energy, protect the environment and promote the idea of riding bicycles. However, we want to avoid potential waste at the same time as well," Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said.
Su said that the Cabinet's plan was to build bicycle-only lanes nationwide, and also to amend related traffic rules so that bicyclists' legal rights can be protected. While constructing the bike lanes, the premier asked officials to avoid wasting money by considering the practicality of the lanes in terms of location and material used for construction.
"You do not want to build a bike lane in a mountain area where bicyclists would not even visit. You do not want to cut down a lot of trees or pave over those spaces that used to be grass just to build a fancy bike track," Su said.
In the meantime, Su said that he was also concerned about the fact that, although the sale of sport utility vehicles (SUV) was decreasing worldwide, the sale of SUVs in Taiwan was growing steadily. He said that since SUVs guzzle more gas, they were anathema to energy conservation efforts.
"We will ask the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to do something about it. Maybe we should control the number of SUVs by raising applicable taxes. Anyway, we will do whatever it takes to protect Taiwan's natural environment," Su said.
In the 1990s, the Taipei City Government built the city's first bicycle lane on Dunhua N Road. The lane began in front of Songshan Domestic Airport, and ended at Dunhua N Road and Renai Road.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old