Premier Su Tseng-chang on Thursday said that Taiwan's bicycle path-building efforts should focus not just on pathways for recreation and sport, but also on routes for commuters. He also said that the transfer of bike riders onto and off of mass transit should be planned for. This would further complete and fill out the bicycle pathway network and meet the transportation, recreation and exercise needs of the public.
The premier's remarks came after a presentation by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications on the achievements of Taiwan's promotion of bike paths.
Conditions and the environment in Taiwan have always been very conducive to the development of cycling activities. Premier Su said that during his first time heading the Executive Yuan in 2006, he promoted the mass construction of bike paths and hiking trails. He also launched May 5 as "Bicycle Day" in Taiwan, putting Taiwan over a decade ahead of the U.N., which declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day in 2018.
During his second stint as premier, in October 2019 Premier Su approved a program to upgrade round-the-island bicycle paths and integrate different types of routes, investing NT$1.6 billion (US$57.4 million) over four years to improve bike paths around Taiwan and create world-class cycling routes. In May of this year, the program was amended to increase the budget to NT$2.8 billion (US$100.5 million). The initiative will not only improve some 2,700 kilometers of the main bicycle road network around the island and connect multiple gap points, but also develop over 800 kilometers of diverse and thematic cycling routes, creating a more comprehensive and densely weaved cycling path network for the nation.