HSINCHU LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM EXPECTS TO CUT TRAFFIC FLOW BY 30%|竹市府:輕軌改善交通 可減3成車流量

The light rail project in Hsinchu is primarily aimed at improving local traffic. Upon completion, it is expected to cut the volume of vehicular traffic by 30%. The light rail will also help revitalize older neighborhoods in Hsinchu City, and expand the technology industry cluster in the area. This student commutes between Hsinchu City's old downtown and Zhubei in Hsinchu County every day for school. But the rush-hour traffic can test his patience. ==MR. CHEN Student== If the traffic is good, it takes a little more than 10 minutes. If the traffic is bad, it could take half an hour. A light rail proposal seeks to alleviate these traffic problems. Mr. Tsai, who lives in the old downtown and works in Hsinchu Science Park, hopes to one day take light rail to work so he no longer has to search for parking. ==MR. TSAI member of the public== You could use it in your commute, so you wouldn't have to drive here every day. Not every company has parking, so you have to arrive early just to find parking. ==NI MAO-JUNG Director, Dept. of Transportation, Hsinchu City== By providing a comfortable, safe, and convenient transit option, residents can cut back on their use of cars and motorcycles and reduce air pollution. We hope to cut traffic by 30%. The city hopes that light rail project and improvements to the train station can cut traffic by 30% and spur new developments in Hsinchu's old downtown. ==CHEN YUNG-YUAN Director, Dept. of Urban Development, Hsinchu City== Hsinchu has fairly narrow roads, so by knitting together the urban fabric, providing a better transit and commute option, and investing in industry, we can bring more opportunities to develop the older parts of the city. Another goal of the Hsinchu light rail is to connect the Hsinchu Science Park with the Biomedical Technology Park near Hsinchu's HSR station, expanding the city's technology industry cluster. ==WAYNE WANG Director-General, Hsinchu Science Park Bureau, MOST== The technology cluster in Hsinchu began with the Science Park, then slowly expanded to incorporate the universities and the Biomedical Technology Park into one cluster. Improved transportation such as the light rail will help further bridge distances within this cluster. Hsinchu City Hall said that light rail requires less road space so that it is ideal for Hsinchu's narrow streets. Light rail also requires less land to be acquired from private owners, which will mean less opposition to the project. TRANSLATED BY：JOHN CHEN 新竹輕軌最主要的目的，就是要改善交通，新竹市政府預估輕軌系統將可減少3成的車流量，另外也要改善新竹市舊城區發展、並連結竹科與竹北生醫園區的交通，擴大科技產業聚落效應。 學校就在新竹湖口那一帶，這位陳同學每天上下學，都得往來新竹市舊城區與新竹縣竹北，但尖峰時間，車一塞，就得耐住性子。 ==陳同學== 不塞車的話 大概十多分鐘吧 十多分鐘 塞車的話半小時都有可能 寄望未來有輕軌，免於塞車之苦，這位住在舊城區，在竹科工作的蔡先生，則希望搭輕軌通勤，別再花太多時間找停車位。 ==蔡先生== 你就可以考慮通勤 就不用一直開車 開車到這裡 不見得公司裡面一定有停車位 變成你一定要提早來 再去找停車位 ==新竹市交通處長 倪茂榮== 提供舒適安全便捷的一個交通 對於市民來講可以減少 汽機車量的使用 減少空氣的汙染 對於交通量的減少 我們希望達到三成的減量 透過輕軌與大車站計畫，減少三成車流量，改善交通，新竹市政府也希望，為舊城區帶來新的改變。 ==新竹市都發處長 陳永源== 因為新竹市確實路是比較小的 有好的這種縫補的概念 交通通勤的概念 產業的概念 會帶動整體周邊 過去比較老舊城市的發展的契機 而新竹輕軌另一個目的，是要連結竹科、以及新竹高鐵站附近的生醫園區，擴大科技產業聚落。 ==科技部竹科管理局長 王永壯== 新竹地區是以竹科 來做為一個聚落 來慢慢到大學 慢慢到生意園區 這整體都是一個生活圈 交通的改善 座落輕軌有助於縮短距離 新竹市政府表示，由於輕軌列車需要的路幅較窄，新竹市區道路狹小，正好適用，此外，也省掉很多徵收民地的需求，避免民眾對政府徵收土地的可能民怨，可讓推動新竹輕軌的阻力降到最低。 記者 張志雄 陳信隆 新竹報導