Independent Miaoli County Councillor Yeh Chung-lun Registers to Run for Zhunan Mayor, Pledging Transport and Childcare Plans

Independent Miaoli County Councillor Yeh Chung-lun is switching political roles and entering the Zhunan mayoral race with a platform centered on transport, childcare and urban resilience.

Yeh, who has an engineering background, registered his candidacy for mayor of Miaoli County’s largest township. He said Zhunan’s population has exceeded 90,000 and is moving toward 100,000 as the township develops into a high-tech industrial center.

His transport plan calls for a Miaoli North commuter bus network connecting hospitals, shopping centers, schools, science parks and the railway station. More frequent and efficient routes, he said, could change commuting habits and ease congestion on urban roads. To address a shortage of parking spaces, he proposed reviewing township-owned land and converting surface lots into multilevel facilities. The additional space could also support a better sidewalk system for students, pedestrians and an aging population.

Yeh placed education and childcare among his main governing priorities. He proposed longer childcare hours to help parents with drop-offs and pickups, along with subsidies for fixed-location and in-home temporary care and respite services. He said the measures would reduce the burden on young families.

Yeh also called for a comprehensive review of older urban plans so land use better reflects current development. In response to extreme weather, he proposed reinforcing drainage and flood-control infrastructure in low-lying coastal areas and around the Zhonggang River, presenting the measures as part of a broader effort to strengthen Zhunan’s urban resilience.