Revocation of toll-free hours is for safety: Cabinet

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-05-23
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Premier Lin Chuan was quoted as saying on Monday that the revocation of the toll-free night hours on national highways during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday is a trial measure and is enforced to reduce the threat to life inherent to night driving.

Cabinet spokesperson Tung Chen-yuan quoted the premier as saying that the purpose of the revocation of the toll-free night hours during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday is not to boost the national coffers, but instead to solve the issue of the threat to life posed by night driving. The premier said the increased revenues will be used on public transportation, Tung said.

The premier also said the traffic during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday is comparatively lighter than other long holidays, and therefore it is easier to assess the measures’ preliminary effectiveness, Tung said. If effective, the measures will continue; however, the revocation of nighttime toll-free hours during long holidays is not yet a done-deal policy to be enforced continuously in the future.

The premier also directed the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) to closely evaluate the effect of the measures, Tung said.     [FULL  STORY]