By KHT Staff. AI illustration image.
KAOHSIUNG — Many bus stops in Kaohsiung are only “barely usable” and should be redesigned to make boarding safer and easier, especially near hospitals, Liberty Times reported.
The Kaohsiung Pedestrian Rights Promotion Association (高雄市行人路權促進會) said the city’s bus stop design often meets basic standards but still falls short in real use.
Association director Lin Yu-kai (林于凱) said the problem is especially serious for seniors, patients, wheelchair users, and people with limited mobility.
Lin said the group previously found that buses could not pull close enough to a stop opposite Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital (高雄市立聯合醫院), forcing wheelchair users to move through traffic lanes after getting off.
He said that was not an isolated case.
Kaohsiung has many low-floor buses, but Lin said the bus stops themselves often do not match the needs of passengers. Problems include height differences between the curb and bus, poor turning angles for buses entering stops, a lack of shade, and weak lighting at night.
He said hospital-area stops should be improved first because they are used by more elderly people and people with medical needs.
Lin compared Kaohsiung with Seoul, saying South Korea’s capital has cooler weather but often provides better shade and lighting at bus shelters. In Kaohsiung’s hot and humid climate, he said, better bus stop design should be a basic part of public transport.
City Councilor Chiu Chun-hsien (邱俊憲) said that hospital bus stops may technically meet accessibility rules, but officials should also consider how passengers actually use them.
