TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Transport Minister Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) appeared with the Taiwan Railway Industry Union and other protesters outside an environmental impact review of a high-speed rail extension to Yilan on Wednesday.
Tan said the project ignores the feasibility of Taiwan Railway establishing a direct line to Yilan, which would be significantly cheaper and enable comprehensive railway service to the east coast. He called on the environmental review committee to suspend the project immediately, per CNA.
Tan said the feasibility assessment for the project has yet to be completed, and the National Development Council disputes the claim that the Cabinet has approved it. He added that only one public hearing was held for Yilan residents, who would be most affected, and only one closed-door meeting was convened with the Yilan County Council.
Chiu Shu-sheng (邱述聖), a representative of the Taiwan Railway Industry Union, said the project focuses only on shortening travel time from Taipei to Yilan while overlooking other challenges such as parking, buses, and transportation links needed for the new station. Chiu added that the extension directly impacts Taiwan Railway's nationwide operations, a sign that the transport ministry, and ultimately the central government, are abandoning efforts to corporatize the railway.
According to the Railway Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, multiple meetings have been held with Taiwan Railway and the high-speed rail regarding the extension’s construction and operations. Discussions covered engineering, land use and development, operations, legal, and finance, with all opinions incorporated into the planning report to meet future operational needs.
The bureau reiterated that railway construction, in addition to resolving transportation issues, is crucial infrastructure driving development in Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung. It added that the goal remains to build a national rail network that can circle the island in six hours and promote balanced development across Taiwan.
