Lawmaker Chen Ching-lung calls for Fengyuan express train after HSR disruption

Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) adjusted its operating schedule on the 25th due to a signal failure, causing significant disruptions for many passengers. Taiwan People's Party Legislator Chen Ching-lung, who took a Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) Tze-Chiang Limited Express train from Fengyuan to Taipei, arrived at the Legislative Yuan safely. He stated that he would push for the Ministry of Transportation to increase TRA services and launch a "Fengyuan Express." THSR adjusted its schedule starting at 8:00 AM due to the signal failure, canceling regular services and operating three all-reserved-seat trains per hour that stopped at every station. Minister of Transportation Chen Shih-kai and several legislators were affected and could not arrive at the Legislative Yuan on time. Chen Ching-lung, who lives in Fengyuan, Taichung, told reporters that he took the 6:41 AM TRA train to Taipei to attend a 9:00 AM transportation committee meeting, arriving at 8:40 AM. However, because the minister, the committee chair, and other lawmakers had not yet arrived, the meeting was delayed. Currently, there are six direct or semi-direct TRA trains daily from Northern Taichung (Fengyuan) to Taipei, with two additional trains on holidays. Chen pointed out that to meet the needs of commuters, the Ministry of Transportation should accelerate plans for a 1.5-hour rapid service between Northern Taichung and Taipei and consider increasing the frequency of trains. Ms. Chang, a Taichung resident who usually commutes to Taipei via HSR on Mondays, happened to not need to go to the office today and avoided the HSR disruption. She mentioned that her sister, who was traveling from Yunlin to New Taipei City for work, was stuck on the HSR train.