Sydney's Air Quality
3 times as many people die of air pollution in NSW than in traffic accidents (Parliamentary Inquiry into Health Impacts of Air Pollution). Air pollution from motor vehicles account for more than 500 early deaths in the Sydney Region per year and over 1000 hospital admissions. In Sydney alone, the health costs of motor-vehicle emissions have been estimated to be between $600million and $1.5 billion per annum (Dec 05).
- The NSW Government has a motorway obsession; they have spent $10 Billion in 10 years on motorways.
- Meanwhile, in 2005, pedestrian and bike funding was slashed from $15 to $5 million per year – this is only 0.17% of the current roads budget.
- New urban motorways do not reduce congestion: they induce it. Motorways generate air pollution and encourage the use of private vehicles and road freight.
- None of Sydney’s tunnel emissions are filtered, and the in-tunnel conditions are hazardous to commuters. The cost of retrofitting tunnel filtration equipment is very expensive, and yet the government still refuses to require all future tunnels be built with in-tunnel filtration.
- Although cycleways, pedestrian paths and bus lanes are a condition of approval for new motorway projects, they have not gone ahead in the case of CCT and LCT.
- In the rush to obtain planning approval, the government tends to rush through the environmental impact assessment process, and does not seriously consider the implications for Sydney’s air quality.
- The RTA has been fudging figures and misleading the public in order to fast-track the planning approval process at the risk of public and environmental health. Their ‘near enough, good enough’ approach is unacceptable.
- Public-Private Partnerships mean that there is a lack of accountability in the building and operating of motorways. Substandard environmental controls are able to be put in place because the government does not take full responsibility for the project.
The Greens solution:
The Greens oppose all new motorway proposals. Traffic congestion and urban air quality problems can best be reduced by the provision of convenient and efficient public transport and rail freight options. See also Lees campaign to get freight back on track
The Greens are committed to affordable, efficient and safe public transport. We need fewer cars on the road and a more extensive public transport system to: reduce greenhouse gas emissions; improve air quality; reduce congestion and provide fairer and more equitable access to mobility. We believe that in-tunnel filtration is the key to protecting public health.
The Greens believe anything less than full filtration of Sydney’s tunnels is a massive dereliction of duty. Lee has campaigned for best-practice filtration of tunnels through budget estimates, parliamentary question time, adjournment speeches, notices of motion, and in the media. We have done calls for papers to release secret documents. We have also worked with community groups on filtration issues, including RAPS on the M5 East tunnel.
The green track record bringing air pollution into Parliament:
- In 2003 and 2006 we successfully called for secret Government documents about the Lane Cove Tunnel to be publicly released. Lee moved motions to make publicly available all documents relating to the health impacts of breathing air in the M5 East, the Cross City Tunnel and the Lane Cove Tunnel.
- Feb 2006: Lee was on the Cross City Tunnel Inquiry and made a dissenting report, calling for more transparency in infrastructure planning, an end to public private partnerships, alternative transport lanes, and tunnel filtering.
- Aug 2006: Lee was on the Lane Cove Tunnel Inquiry and made a dissenting report, calling on the Government to filter the tunnel and to not erode bus, bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Labor and Liberal MPs and Fred Nile voted against the Greens motion calling for in-tunnel filtration of Lane Cove Tunnel.
- Aug 2006: The Greens moved a motion calling for filtration on all road tunnels. Again, Labor and Liberal MPs and the Christian Democrats didn't support it.
- Nov 2006: The Health Impacts of Air Pollution report was released after the Parliamentary Inquiry was initiated by Greens MLC Sylvia Hale. The Committee recommended “the NSW Government take responsibility for meeting future air quality standards in relation to existing road tunnels”.
- Nov 2006: Under pressure from the Greens, secret documents about the potential health risks of the M5 East emission portals were released. It became apparent that then Minister Roozendaal had suppressed a report from NSW Health in order to increase the chances of obtaining planning approval for the portals.
- Dec 2006: The Greens discovered that the RTA had published incorrect information about the health risks of the M5 East emission portals in its letter-boxed brochure and planning application. Under NSW planning regulations it is an offence to make false or misleading statement in documents associated with the planning approval process. The Greens believe this offence seriously compromises the whole assessment process, and Lee called for an investigation into the RTA.
- Mar
2007: Lee has given notice of a private members bill to limit the
consent and planning powers of the RTA. At the moment, the RTA can make
significant changes to development approvals without exhibiting for
public comment.
For example: after the Lane Cove Tunnel works were approved the RTA made an executive decision to change the tunnel ventilation design – increasing health risks without consulting NSW Planning and Environment agencies or the public.
