Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin led city officials and residents on an early morning cycling tour in the morning of Car-free Day on September 19. The cyclists started their trip at Meiti Riverside Park and arrived at the commercial district on Zhongxiao E. Road after a 12-km ride.

According to the mayor, the city government seeks to promote the use of bicycles for both leisure activities and for commuting. To achieve this objective, plans have been drafted to establish bicycle lanes at locations ranging from riverside parks to downtown areas. He hopes that this will allow residents to use their bikes on a daily basis, making everyday a car-free day.

Speaking before the media, the mayor said he enjoys cycling with the residents of the city and is very impressed by the beautiful landscape along the riverside.

Hu remarked that this year marks the eighth anniversary of car-free day activities organized by city hall. With a steady growth in the number of participants, the city will incorporate more events and activities to make encourage residents to choose green vehicles and public transportation systems to help protect our environment.

The initiator of Car-free Day, Professor Francis Eric Knight Britton, also attended the event in Taipei. He pointed out that he began promoting the idea of an International Car-free Day 16 years ago. Starting with three cities, the event grew to encompass 2,000 cities around the world in 2009. The guru of sustainable transport expressed his gratitude to Mayor Hau for his support of Car-free Day.