[Greens-Media] Cross City Tunnel air quality monitoring a farce, say Greens

[Lee Rhiannon]

MEDIA RELEASE -  23 August 2005

Cross City Tunnel air quality monitoring a farce, say Greens 

The air quality regime for managing the potentially lethal mix of toxic gases that will be stored in the Cross City Tunnel is a farce, Greens MP and roads spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said today.

"Air quality monitoring in the Cross City tunnel only measures one toxic gas, carbon monoxide, not all gases and particle emissions," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Hundreds of thousands of dollars on monitoring equipment has been spent on a system that doesn't measure the cumulative impact of these emissions. 

"The Government should invest in a 'real time' public display system for motorists, like they have in Melbourne. This system could give information on traffic movements as well as air quality levels, including particle emissions.

"What the RTA reports to DIPNR about air quality doesn't tell the whole picture. 

"For example, the RTA only reports carbon monoxide levels at one given point in the tunnel over a 15 minute period. 

"So someone caught in a traffic jam, moving slowly through the tunnel, could be exposed to higher than acceptable carbon monoxide levels, but this isn't taken into account. 

"This poses a real risk of driver fatigue during traffic delays in the tunnel, especially for long haul drivers. 

"Prolonged exposure to built up emissions also presents a real danger to pregnant women and babies, people with asthma and heart problems.

"Until the sub-standard filtering and monitoring systems are fixed, The Greens believe the Government should put warning signs at the start of the tunnel telling people to close their air vents and wind up their windows.

"People planning to use the tunnel regularly could install a carbon monoxide monitor to make sure they're not at risk from this colourless, odourless, poisonous gas," Ms Rhiannon said. 

More information: Alison Orme 9230 3551, 0432 332 104



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Lee Rhiannon, MLC
The Greens
Parliament of New South Wales
Macquarie St 
Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Email   lee.rhiannon at parliament.nsw.gov.au
Web    www.nsw.greens.org.au/lee

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