- Community groups affected by fumes from major road tunnels today welcomed Opposition member John Turner’s introduction of a Bill into the NSW Lower House requiring the installation of filtration equipment for the controversial M5 East motorway tunnel, and the proposed Cross City and Lane Cove tunnels.
The Bill comes a day after Roads Minister Carl Scully introduced tough new laws for drivers using mobile phones because one study showed this posed a possible safety risk. It also follows recent Carr government legislation imposing tough new greenhouse gas energy targets on the electricity industry.
- There is a stack of undisputable scientific evidence now that exhaust from vehicle emissions is significantly more harmful than previously thought and can trigger asthma, respiratory complaints and some cases, cancer. In car dependent cities such as Sydney, it rivals cigarette smoke as a serious health and environmental risk. Indeed, Sydney’s smog and traffic congestion recently saw it plummet to 55 on a worldwide ranking of the world’s most liveable cities and even the US Supreme court recently approved measures to control vehicle emissions, regardless of the cost involved.
- With over 30 filtered tunnels in Norway, Japan and Korea, and more underway in Germany and Ireland it is also clear that unsightly toxic stacks and dirty, smelly air are no longer an essential part of roadway tunnels. Filtration equipment is not only effective, it also helps to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gases.
- Yet Mr Scully appears to be still hazy on the magnitude of the problem and the cost effectiveness of the available solutions. On radio 2UE yesterday he was busy assuring the public that pollution levels inside Australia’s longest tunnel, the M5 East, were acceptable because they “met the guidelines”. The RTA has obviously not told him that these guidelines refer to visibility, not health!
In fact the RTA, some 5 months after the tunnel’s opening is still unable or unwilling to supply accurate air quality data, for either inside or outside the tunnel.
- In the meantime, regular users of the smoggy, congested M5 East tunnel, have to crawl through pollution levels that are 30 times outside levels, with wound up windows and closed vents. Hundreds of residents near the Turrella stack are suffering itchy eyes, sore throats, asthma, headaches and worsening health conditions, since the tunnel has opened.
- The Cross city and Lane Cove tunnels are about to follow the same toxic, costly route. For residents and tunnel users alike, filtration of tunnel fumes is not just essential, it is long overdue. We call on Mr Carr to show that clean air and good health are above party politics by supporting this sensible Bill. It’s time to clear the air! Clean Air is a basic right.
- For further information, contact:
- M5 East Tunnel (Residents Against Polluting Stacks) Mark Curran: 9558 8863 - Peter Siapos: 0414891525 - Giselle Mawer: 0411 107 153
- Cross City Tunnel (Sydneysiders Against Polluting Stacks) Bill D'Anthes: 0418 769 808
- Lane Cove Tunnel (Lane Cove Tunnel Action Group) June Hefferan: 0415 932 250
