The Ministry of the Interior on Thursday proposed a draft pedestrian safety act that would introduce clearer regulations on increasing the number of street sidewalks and improving their maintenance.
The regulations would 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 Minister of Interior Lin Yu-chang (林右昌).
The proposed bill is part of an action plan approved by the Executive Yuan last year to improve traffic safety and prevent incidents that have led to criticism that Taiwan is a “living hell” for pedestrians.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Under the proposed regulations, the central authority shall, together with local authorities, formulate medium and long-term plans to promote pedestrian safety-related measures, he said.
Local governments would be required to draw up plans each year and submit them to the central authority for approval before prioritizing improvements and reviewing them at least once every four years to improve the quality of sidewalks.
The new regulations also stipulate that each city and county government 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 should help provide a safe environment for all pedestrians, especially children and elderly people, 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, local governments would have to work with the competent authorities to improve, relocate or dismantle such equipment, 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 Legislative Yuan for deliberation, Lin said.
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