Taiwan Today

For ardent cyclists, Taiwan is well known as the home of some of the world’s top brands of bicycles. When it comes to world destinations for the sport of cycling, however, the island might not be the first place that comes to mind. In fact, roads congested with cars, buses and motorcycles are a familiar scene in the bustling major cities and townships where the majority of Taiwan’s 23 million people live. That is changing, however, especially since July 2009 with Republic of China (ROC) President Ma Ying-jeou calling for the integration of bicycles with other mainstream means of transportation and urging new policy and regulations specifically for bikes. Government investment in the creation of bike paths and cycling routes is also on the increase. The Cabinet-level Sports Affairs Council has budgeted NT$4 billion (US$125 million) to develop a network of bike paths around Taiwan from 2009 to 2012. Some 250 kilometers of paths have already been created in recreational areas of Taipei City and Taipei County, while around 120 kilometers of paths have been established in downtown Taipei City, mostly on shared sidewalks. In 2009, the Tourism Bureau set up 172.5 kilometers of bicycling routes in scenic areas of Taipei and eastern Taiwan, with the same amount planned for this year. Taipei and Kaohsiung cities and Taipei County have even launched public bike systems, many of which are located close to local Mass Rapid Transit stations or in sightseeing areas. The bikes can also be picked up and returned to different locations, adding to their convenience as a public transport option. These efforts seem to be paying off. Since the public bike system was launched in May 2009, there have been around 10,000 rentals per month in both Taipei City and Kaohsiung. An outstanding success of bike path development is the Dongfeng Green Bikeway, a 12-kilometer stretch of former railway line in Taichung County that was converted into a bike path in the early 1990s. In 2009, it attracted some 500,000 riders. Perhaps more significantly, there is a growing desire among city dwellers for opportunities to make bicycle riding part of their daily lives. A survey by the Taipei City Government in April 2009 showed that the number of Taipei residents using bicycles as a major means of transportation had risen from 1.9 percent in 2006 to 6.1 percent last year. While the numbers are small, the increased interest in biking is encouraging. The health and environmental benefits of bicycle riding are well known, but Taiwan also enjoys significant economic benefits from the bicycle manufacturing industry here. In 2009, exports of bicycles and bike parts were worth US$1.75 billion to Taiwan. Since its launch in 1988, the Taipei International Cycle Show has developed into one of the top three cycling trade shows in the world. Taiwan is also home to Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd., which is now the largest bicycle maker in the world, while Giant along with Merida Industry Co. Ltd. and Pacific Cycles Inc. are heavy hitters in the high end of the market. Together, they represent the transition from original equipment manufacturing to original design and original branding at its best. Bicycles are a low-cost and low-pollution transportation option and are especially suited to getting around Taiwan’s compact and densely populated cities and neighborhoods. The promotion of bicycle riding, not only for recreation, but as a part of Taiwan’s mainstream transportation systems, is an obvious choice. Cycling should be a high priority for modern transportation infrastructure in a society seeking the sustainable development of its cities and the health of its citizens.