Tanya Green Tunnel is a popular scenic destination in Taichung, yet citizens often ride electric bicycles onto the bikeway at high speeds, seriously affecting safety. The Taichung City Tourism and Travel Bureau would like to remind people that in maintaining public safety, the city government has banned electric bicycles from the Tanya Green Tunnel on a probationary basis in October. Starting from tomorrow (November 1), transgressors will be fined between NT$300 and NT$600.
Tourism and Travel Bureau Director-General Lin Hsiao-chi pointed out that Tanya Green Tunnel is a bikeway, hence only bicycles are allowed; besides electric bicycles, the area is also restricted to car and motorcycle traffic, and lawbreakers will be punished in order to maintain the safety and comfort of the bikeway's recreational environment for all citizens.
Director-General Lin commented that starting from October 1, 2019, the policy on banning electric bicycles from Tanya Green Tunnel will be implemented on a trial basis for 3 months in accordance with article 5 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act. During the first month, police officers will be present at the scene to persuade electric bicycle users to refrain from driving onto the Tanya Green Tunnel; in the second month, the police will begin issuing fines, and the overall performance of the campaign will be assessed and adjusted after the probationary period.
Director-General Lin elaborated that during the first month of the policy implementation, colleagues from the Tourism and Travel Bureau and the Police Department have been stationed at the scene to promote the "no electric bicycle on the Tanya Green Tunnel" policy. The initiative has received recognition and support from tourists and local residents, and the problem of driving electric bicycles in restricted areas has been improved considerably.
Currently, the bureau has established 77 No Electric Bicycle signs in 5 different languages (Chinese, English, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian) at various intersections, and they are reinforced by campaigns conducted by the Labor Affairs Bureau and Economic Development Bureau. In the future, the Tourism and Travel Bureau will continue to coordinate with other bureaus in preventing illegal cars, motorcycles, and electric bicycles from endangering tourist safety, so as to provide the citizens and tourists from all over the country with a safe, comfortable cycling and recreational environment.