30,000 Taipei cyclists join World Car-Free Day

The event successfully attracted ten times more participants than originally planned along the car-free-itinerary that started at Taipei City Hall and ended on a riverside plaza near National Taiwan University, said Taipei’s Department of Transportation, the organizer of the event.

Among the cyclists, several executives of private enterprises and members of the Taipei City Council reportedly rode along two of the city’s main thoroughfares under strict police control, before passing through the campus of National Taiwan University, and making a short trip on a scenic riverside bike route located between the Gongguan Riverside Plaza and the Jingmei Bridge.

Also, in Taichung, central Taiwan, up to 5,000 cyclists enjoyed a ride in a car-free environment, going from the local football stadium to a section of the elevated expressway between Taichung and Changhua to the south.

For the occasion, the city organized a lucky draw for participants at the event, with top prizes including Giant bicycles, liquid crystal display televisions and hotel gift vouchers.

In the southern port city of Kaohsiung, Mayor Chen Chu led a day earlier thousands of city residents on a 6.5-km bicycle ride from the city’s Central Park to the Kaohsiung Cultural Center.

World Car-Free Day was initiated in France on Sept. 22, 1998, and soon gained international support. Today the annual event is celebrated by over 100 million people in about 1,500 cities worldwide.

Taipei has honored World Car-Free Day with various activities since 2002, while Taichung and Kaohsiung have followed suit since 2003.

Today, Taipei City authorities are further holding a string of activities that will include live music entertainment and free coffee for EasyCard holders in Taipei’s Xinyi business district.

Police will exercise strict traffic controls from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., forbidding access to private cars and motorcycles into the area.

Until 3:00 a.m. tomorrow, EasyCards’ users passing through the Xinyi district will also enjoy free bus rides.

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