TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's legislature on Tuesday (April 16) passed new regulations aimed at improving pedestrian sidewalk safety.

The Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of the Regulations on Pedestrian Traffic Safety Facilities (行人交通安全設施條例) that stipulates  central and local governments must formulate plans for promoting and improving pedestrian traffic safety. For example, when local governments find fixed facilities hindering pedestrian passage, they are to order improvements, with a maximum fine of NT$150,000 (US$4,600) for non-compliance.

According to the regulations, both central and local governments are responsible for constructing safe, unobstructed, and continuous pedestrian pathways. Responsibilities include the construction, improvement, and maintenance of pedestrian facilities and the creation of safe, unobstructed, and continuous pedestrian pathways.

The law specifies that the central government should establish the policy direction and promotion plan for pedestrian traffic safety facilities, and supervise local governments in conducting surveys on pedestrian safety and improvements. This plan is to be reviewed at least once every four years, and involve experts, scholars, and private organizations.

Local authorities must formulate phased construction plans for sidewalks of a certain width on roads, submit them for approval by the central government, and prioritize implementation after improvement. These plans should also be reviewed and amended at least once every four years. 

In addition, they must establish improvement plans for pedestrian traffic safety facilities, including adding, widening, or improving sidewalks, removing obstacles on sidewalks, posting announcements, and implementing pedestrian-friendly zones.

If local authorities find fixed facilities or equipment obstructing pedestrian passage, they should notify the managing authority, owner, user, or administrator in writing. They must complete the improvement, relocation, or removal of the facility within a specified period, which shall not be less than three months, or face fines ranging between NT$30,000 to NT$150,000.

If pathways are obstructed by public utility facilities, such as transformers, mailboxes, fire hydrants, or gas pressure regulator boxes, local governments must coordinate with the owners or users to choose a relocation site and require improvement, relocation, or demolition.

The law also says that if the level of a covered or uncovered sidewalk is not aligned with an adjoining section of the walkway, local governments can designate specific sections for reconstruction to bring them all to the same level. If unauthorized changes hindering passage occur after the reconstruction, the owner, user, or administrator of the building will be required to make improvements within two months and failure to comply may result in fines ranging from NT$5,000 to NT$25,000 per violation.

Local governments can declare designated areas around medical institutions, schools, institutions, and public transportation stations as “pedestrian-friendly zones.” Opinions will be sought from local residents through public meetings to formulate priority improvement measures.

In pedestrian-friendly zones, measures such as speed limit signs or markings, speed reduction measures, part-time pedestrian-only areas, and pedestrian priority areas may be implemented to provide a conducive walking environment.

To ensure local governments implement pedestrian traffic safety facility improvement plans, the regulations stipulate that the responsible central government agency, in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, should annually assess and publish the effectiveness of local implementation. If performance is unsatisfactory, the central government may reduce the subsidy amount for related road traffic improvement plans.