In order to enhance the policy of eliminating two-stroke motorcycles and preventive measures to maintain air quality, Yunlin County, Chiayi County and Chiayi City all provide high subsidies to encourage the public to scrap their two-stroke motorcycles and purchase new electric two-wheel vehicles. It is expected that the government subsidies for the purchase of new electric two-wheel vehicles (9,000 per electric motorcycle and 2,500 NT dollars per electric bike) and redemption of new electric two-wheel vehicles (14,000 NT dollars per electric motorcycle and 7,500 NT dollars per electric bike) will be unified next year. Moreover, the government will enforce inspections of two-stroke motorcycles from October, 2017. Any two-stroke motorcycles checked by the Environmental Protection Bureau and found lacking regular exhaust inspections will be fined 2,000 NT dollar, and those are found failing the exhaust inspections will be fined from 1,500 NT dollars to 6,000 NT dollars and need to improve within a limited time period.
According to the Environmental Protection Bureau, the pollutants emitted from two-stroke motorcycles are many times those from four-stroke motorcycles, and the hydrocarbon emitted from two-stroke motorcycles can cause cardiac and lung diseases within a certain period. Therefore, it is necessary to control two-stroke motorcycles. This year, Chiayi City Government is working with motorcycle dealers in the prefecture to increase the exposure of the need to eliminate two-stroke motorcycles, through marketing, posting posters in different areas of markets, and broadcasting the information among the disadvantaged groups. Chiayi County Government promotes electric vehicle demonstrations and provides special offers for taking low-carbon transportation in the Ali Mountain and Taiwan High Speed Rail stations. Yunlin County Government has drawn up a local autonomous ordinance on electric fruit and vegetable vehicles in Siluo agricultural products market and plans to designate Siluo agricultural products market as the air quality control area, where entering and exiting vehicles shall be limited. However, there are still 135,000 two-stroke motorcycles in Yunlin County, Chiayi County and Chiayi City, accounting for 9% of the total two-stroke motorcycles in Taiwan. To effectively control the air pollution caused by two-stroke motorcycles, Yunlin County, Chiayi County and Chiayi City have activated a cooperative network to fight together against "dirty" air. In addition to reinforcing road inspections of two-stroke motorcycles, they call on vehicle owners to undergo regular exhaust inspections, follow the subsidy regulations and reduce the use of two-stroke motorcycles in the hope of realizing a better and cleaner future.
Yunlin County Government, Chiayi County Government and Chiayi City Government stressed that the purpose of road inspections is not a punishment, but rather is meant to help motorcycle riders and vehicle owners cultivate the habit of undergoing exhaust inspections regularly and contributing to the air quality maintenance together. Following the Environmental Protection Bureau policy to stop subsidies by 2020, the three local governments now have special offer plans for the elimination of two-stroke motorcycles and the replacement purchase of electric two-wheel vehicles. For further information about the subsidies of two-stroke motorcycles and the purchase of electric two-wheel vehicles, please visit the website: http://mobile.epa.gov.tw/LowPoll/index.aspx. For further information about regular motorcycle exhaust inspections, please visit the website: http://www.motorim.org.tw/.
