The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) could face a fine of NT$2.5 million (US$89,439) for delayed notifications to the Taiwan Transportation Safety Board about incidents on its network, the board’s chairman said.
Article 9 of the Transportation Occurrences Investigation Act (運輸事故調查法) requires the TRA to notify the board within two hours of receipt of information about railway incidents. Failure to report such information within two hours could result in a fine of NT$500,000 to NT$2.5 million.
However, the TRA does not always report incidents on time, board chairman Young Hong-tsu (楊宏智) said, adding that the last time the railway agency failed to report such information before the deadline was on April 11, when a fire broke out on a northbound Tzuchiang Express train after it stopped at Jhungli Railway Station in Taoyuan.
Photo: CNA
“The TRA delayed reports about railway incidents, but we gave them a grace period after the board was established in August 2019,” Young said. “The grace period should be over by now, so the TRA should be more careful when submitting reports to the board.”
The TRA said that the fire on April 11 occurred at 6:09pm and that it notified the board at 6:39pm, but admitted that it did fail to report a fire within the two-hour deadline last year, adding that it would endeavor to clarify the situation with the board.
Although the TRA denied delaying informing the board about the fire on the Tzuchiang Express train, Young said that his assertion is backed by solid evidence.
The board is to hold a meeting next week to review the TRA’s record on notifications of incidents, Young said, adding that it would be the first such meeting since its establishment.
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