TOLL FREE HOLIDAY TRAVEL FROM MIDNIGHT TO 5 AM|端午4天連假 統一0時至5時國道免收費

The government has reversed a previous decision on traffic control measures for the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday announced that the toll-free period of midnight to 5am will apply to all four days of the holiday after all. Some say that pressure from the Executive Yuan was what ultimately swayed the MOTC's decision, but Executive Yuan spokesperson Hsu Kuo-yung said that the Ministry of Transportation was simply respecting public opinion. ==HO CHEN TAN MOTC Minister (May 23, 2017)== Many people are blaming us, saying that a two-hour toll-free period from 3 to 5 is a strange choice. But the intention is that most people, who will be making long journeys, will choose to leave closer to dawn. MOTC Minister Ho Chen Tan had just explained on Tuesday why the toll-free period for freeways will be shortened for the Dragon Boat Festival holiday this year. The Ministry's original plan was that freeways will be toll-free between midnight and 5 AM for the first and last day of the holiday, and between 3 and 5 for the middle two days. However, the policy attracted controversy and the government has now reversed it two days later. The National Freeway Bureau has announced that freeways will be toll-free from midnight to 5 for all four days. ==CHANG CHUNG-CHIH Section Chief, Traffic Management Div., TANFB== Our policy needs to be easy to understand for the public, as well as meet public expectations. So after discussion, all four days (of the holiday) will have the same (toll-free) period of midnight to 5. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had criticized the previous proposal, saying that it was confusing and that it would encourage people to drive when they were most exhausted. Sources say that the decision was swayed by pressure from the Executive Yuan as well as the lack of support from the legislative caucus. The Executive Yuan has responded that the Ministry of Transportation was simply respecting public opinion. ==HSU KUO-YUNG Executive Yuan Spokesperson== The extension of (toll-free hours) to midnight to 5, if it can better fulfill the public interest, public convenience, and the happiness of a vacation, I think that's something that everyone will be satisfied with. Hsu emphasized that the Ministry of Transportation was the authority to make and enforce this policy, and that the Executive Yuan respects the Ministry's final decision and responsibility. TRANSLATED BY：JOHN CHEN 端午連假的交通疏運政策大轉彎！交通部長賀陳旦，幾天前宣布「夜間免收費新制」，原本只有頭尾兩天的凌晨0點到5點、免收過路費，上午又變成，四天連假的凌晨，通通免收費，外傳這次政策轉彎主要來自行政院壓力，對此，行政院發言人徐國勇表示，交通部是從眾如流、尊重民意。 交通部長 賀陳旦 (106.5.23)== 這次很多人是在 有點責怪我們說 怎麼弄一個兩小時的 這種三點到五點的 這種奇奇怪怪的東西 三點到五點就是在希望 大部分人其實他選擇要長程 他自然會選擇下半夜才動身 交通部長賀陳旦週二才親上火線，以數據佐證，說明今年端午假期免費時段的合理性，原本只有頭尾兩天的凌晨0點到5點、免收過路費，而假期中間的兩天、則從凌晨3點到5點免收費，但引發爭議，兩天後政策急轉彎，高公局上午宣佈四天連假的凌晨，通通免收費。 ==高公局交管組科長 張崇智== 我們施政要能夠有一個簡民 讓民眾能夠簡單扼要了解 另外就是說 民眾對這個有所期待 所以經過討論之後 （端午假期)那4天已經統一為 由零點到五點(免收費) 事實上早在週一立法院交通委員會上，朝野立委都對免費時段有意見，認為兩種免收費時段易讓人混淆，並質疑凌晨3到5點是人最疲勞的時候，等於是鼓勵用路人在最疲倦的時候上路，外傳這次政策轉彎主要來自行政院壓力，加上立院黨團也不支持，對此，行政院發言人徐國勇表示，交通部是從眾如流、尊重民意。 ==行政院發言人徐國勇== 3點到5點把它改為0點到5點 如果能夠跟民眾的利益 跟民眾的方便 跟民眾度假的快樂有關的話 我想大家都樂見 徐國勇強調，交通部是政策制定和執行機關，最後決定更改政策，一切由交通部負責，行政院尊重交通部的職權，也沒有所謂賀陳旦自行處分的事情。 綜合報導