David on Formosa

I had a letter published in the Taipei Times today. It was in response to an article which ran in the paper on Monday. A related article was also published on the same day.

Air travel is rarely subjected to the scrutiny it deserves. As well as being a leading cause of greenhouse gas emmissions, airports also have massive impacts on their local environments. George Monbiot, a columnist for The Guardian has written a number of good articles on the topic if you want to do some further reading.

A quote from my letter:

Once the high-speed railway is operating it should eliminate the need for domestic flights between cities on Taiwan‘s west coast. Any time savings of air travel over the high-speed rail will be negligible. Only flights to the east coast and outlying islands could really be justified.

Just as the MRT has in many ways transformed Taipei, the High-Speed Rail should be seen as an opportunity to transform the west coast of Taiwan. Reducing the demand for air travel and also the traffic on the roads and freeways could allow land to be reclaimed for public use.

For example, smaller regional airports could be closed and redeveloped as universities or sporting complexes. They would already have a good level of infrastructure surrounding them so the redevelopment would be very cost effective.

Such redevelopment would have benefits to the community as a whole. Currently only those who fly regularly benefit from the airports, while everybody suffers from the airports’ environmental impacts.

In the letter I suggest that Songshan Airport in Taipei could be closed down. I am surprised that the idea never seems to have been seriously considered (to my knowledge). Once the High-Speed Rail is fully operational only domestic flights to the east coast and Taiwan’s outlying islands (Penghu, Jinmen and Mazu) would really be necessary. These could operate from the international airport in Taoyuan.

As for exactly how to redevelop the airport, there are many possibilities. A world-class sports and entertainment facility is something Taipei is really lacking. Something like this could enrich the city and bring many new events. A huge park could transform Taipei and create a much needed green space. Other options include universities or a scientific research and development centre.

The only limit is our imaginations. If Taipei really wants to be considered an international city, then it needs more than Taipei 101. It needs a bold vision for something that would truly enrich the environment of the city.