The Taiwan Railway Union and civil society groups held a demonstration outside of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications today over plans to build a high-speed rail (HSR) line from Taipei to Yilan.
They urged the ministry to instead develop a new, straighter connection between the two cities for Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) trains rather than extend the HSR, warning that building a high-speed line could decrease TRC revenues by NT$800 million (US$26.65 million).
The current HSR proposal is a 60.6km line connecting Taipei’s Nangang Station to a new site in Yilan 350m south of Yilan County Hall, in addition to a new maintenance depot.
Photo: CNA
The Ministry of Environment is due to review an environmental impact assessment of the HSR plan on Wednesday.
The groups presented a petition to the ministry today, arguing that the government and the TRC have a responsibility to develop a direct link from Taipei to Yilan as part of the railway’s corporatization.
They also asked for the ministry and TRC to provide employees with an assessment of how the HSR project would impact revenue.
If the HSR line is approved, the TRC could lose up to NT$800 million, TRU secretary-general Chu Chih-yu (朱智宇) said, adding that losses over 30 years could top NT$58 billion.
The HSR would only be 20 minutes faster than a new direct rail line, union executive director Wu Shih-chao (吳世昭) said.
However, as HSR passengers would still need to transfer to trains or shuttle buses, it would not actually be a faster option for most, Wu said.
Since the TRC became a corporation, the ministry has interfered with its operations and refused to accept responsibility for mismanagement, Wu said.
It is difficult for employees to accept a NT$800 revenue shortfall, Wu added.
The HSR project would cost nearly NT$400 billion, but only provides one station, limiting its ability to provide transportation benefits, said Lin Wang-gen (林旺根), advisor to civil group Public Nudge.
If it reduces the TRC to a feeder line, it would create a lose-lose situation for both, Lin added.
Hochen Tan (賀陳旦), a former transport minister and current advisor to Public Nudge, said the project may never break even and instead leave future generations with debt.
Ministry officials who received the petition said the Taipei-Yilan HSR project is a major national initiative and public opinions would be taken into consideration.
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