ROAD SAFETY/Interior ministry proposes draft sidewalk improvement program

Taipei, Feb. 22 (CNA) The Ministry of the Interior on Thursday proposed a draft pedestrian safety act that if passed would introduce clearer regulations on increasing the number of street sidewalks and improving their maintenance.

The regulations will hopefully help tackle the problem of insufficient sidewalks through the construction, improvement and maintenance of more sidewalks to boost pedestrian safety, the ministry said, citing Interior Minister Lin Yu-chang (林右昌).

According to the ministry, the proposed draft is part of an action plan approved by the Cabinet last year to help improve safety and prevent traffic incidents that have led to Taiwan being criticized in some quarters as a 'living hell' for pedestrians.

Under the proposed regulations, the central competent authority shall, together with local competent authorities, formulate medium and long-term plans to promote pedestrian safety-related measures, he said.

Meanwhile, local governments will be required to draw up plans each year and submit them to the central competent authority for approval before prioritizing improvements and reviewing them at least once every four years in an efforts to improve the quality of sidewalks.

The new regulations also clearly stipulate that each city and county government in Taiwan must come up with pedestrian-friendly zones around medical institutions, schools, public transportation stops and other crowded areas, the minister said.

The introduction of more sidewalks that are handicapped-friendly and signs warning motorists to slow down will help provide a safe environment for all pedestrians, in particularly children and the elderly, the minister said.

As for areas where public facilities such as power and telecommunications equipment are installed on sidewalks and hinder or block pedestrian traffic, each local government will have to work with the competent authorities to improve, relocate or dismantle such equipment in the future or be subject to penalties, Lin added.

The bill has to be reviewed and approved by the Executive Yuan before it is delivered to the Legislature for deliberation, according to Lin.