Ko Wen-je reverses stance on heavy motorcycles on freeways

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je on Tuesday (Dec. 12) expressed a shift in his stance on allowing heavy motorcycles on national freeways, suggesting that if the majority is opposed, then the government should amend the law accordingly.

This appears to contradict his earlier promises that, if elected, he would ask the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) to quickly open national freeways to heavy motorcycles.

Ko's changed position comes in the wake of public opinion polls showing that 60% are against the policy change. Emphasizing Taiwan's rule of law, Ko referenced discussions with the Drivers Union, which is strongly opposed to the idea.

The union has expressed safety concerns, highlighting that accidents involving heavy motorcycles on freeways could lead to an increase in fatalities, particularly due to the possibility of motorcycles being run over by large trucks after a fall.

The controversy extends to the two-stage left turn system for motorcycles, which Ko proposes to eliminate. Ko highlighted that motorcyclists should line up behind cars at traffic signals.

Moreover, according to Ko, the decision whether to implement direct left turns or maintain the two-stage system should be based on the number of lanes on the road, pointing towards a more tailored approach to traffic regulation that takes into account the specificities of different roadways.