TRA grilled on restroom cleanliness despite efforts

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Legislative Yuan's Transportation Committee scrutinized the 2024 budget on Monday (Dec. 4) and addressed the subpar cleanliness of Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) restrooms despite efforts to improve conditions.

Last year, the TRA introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for restroom cleanliness developed by Japanese experts. However, an evaluation by the Ministry of Environment still ranked the railway’s restrooms at the bottom.

TRA Director-General Tu Wei acknowledged the issue but also highlighted progress, noting local government oversight had spurred improvements. Out of 762 restrooms, 759 received ratings of excellent or top quality this year. Despite this, Tu admitted that maintenance remains challenging for some facilities and that further enhancements are necessary.

Legislator Lin Chun-hsien criticized the TRA during the committee meeting for the ineffective use of its funds. The TRA proposed a station service budget of NT$613.025 million, with 76% allocated to outsourcing cleaning services—an increase of NT$11.18 million from the previous year—yet, the cleanliness level has not significantly improved.

Lin proposed freezing one-tenth of the TRA's station service budget until they present a written report detailing plans for restroom improvements.

Following the recommendation, the committee resolved to freeze 10% of the TRA’s budget to ensure accountability.

This freeze affects various aspects, including hygiene, staff working conditions, and safety measures, signaling a push for the railway administration to prioritize facility maintenance and overall service quality.