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Car tunnel users and residents living in suburbs surrounding tunnel exhaust stacks can expect greater exposure to fine particle and air toxic pollution once the Clem Jones (North South Bypass) Tunnel comes online in Brisbane.
Tunnel users need to hold their breath and wind up their windows as they pay $4 to drive through the Clem Jones “Gas Chamber”.
And don’t expect it to be a quick ride in and out of the tunnel. Sydney commuters sit in stop start traffic in car tunnels everyday. Tunnels are just another four lane road, and like any other road they clog up with traffic.
The impact statements for the Brisbane tunnels also show that there will be greater congestion on arterial roads leading to the car tunnels, which will create even more air pollution.
It’s almost impossible to have a cigarette in a pub now, due to the dangers of passive smoking, but the exhaust chimneys emitting fumes from the tunnel will be like giant smoking cigarettes in our suburbs.
The solution is not even more roads, but to build a public transport system for Brisbane that offers people an effective alternative to the car.
Showing posts with label airport link tunnel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label airport link tunnel. Show all posts
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Now we know that tunnels are the wrong way to go
Media release 26 August 2009
Three years ago today, construction commenced on what future historians will judge to be Brisbane’s biggest mistake since Clem Jones removed the trams – the North South Bypass Tunnel.
Campbell Newman’s road tunnels may have seemed feasible in 2004, but climate change, the global financial crisis, oil insecurity and changing travel behaviour now show that the community opposition to wasting more than $15 billion on TransApex was fully justified.
The community is coming to understand that new road infrastructure projects are not the path to future social, economic and financial sustainability. Public infrastructure companies that have built and operated tolled roads and tunnels are writing down their value and struggling financially. Tunnel construction and operation is a risky gamble in this new environment.
More and more commuters are now driving less, combining their trips, using public transport more, and avoiding peak hours by using technology to work from home.
Instead of building more roads, Governments must divert more public funds into public transport, and walking and cycling infrastructure to support rapidly changing travel behaviour.
In the past, tolled private tunnels were foolishly included in transport plans without an open and transparent public process of risk assessment, informed discussion of different transport planning choices and changes to transport behaviour.
Now the Lord Mayor is spending ratepayers’ funds to promote the commercial product of a private tollroad operator in a last-ditch attempt to prop up what was always going to fail. He continues to issue misleading information about the “benefits” of using the tunnel. He says NSBT users will avoid “up to 18 sets of traffic lights”. They can already use the Riverside Expressway and the ICB between Buranda and Bowen Hills without passing a single traffic light and he knows it.
He has continued to saddle our city with debt to fund more investment in private vehicle infrastructure projects when peak oil and climate change raised serious doubts about the viability of these projects.
Our elected representatives have failed to deal with rapidly changing transport needs and constraints. Brisbane is now falling behind by other cities which have sustainable transport systems and infrastructure. Residents were not allowed to make reasoned and informed choices about our city’s future prior to the NSBT’s approval. This must never happen again.
We urge all motorists to indicate that simplistic “fixes” like the NSBT are never going to be viable alternatives for sustainable long-term transport plans by BOYCOTTING THE NORTH SOUTH BYPASS TUNNEL.
Media contact: CAST President David White 0403 871 082
Three years ago today, construction commenced on what future historians will judge to be Brisbane’s biggest mistake since Clem Jones removed the trams – the North South Bypass Tunnel.
Campbell Newman’s road tunnels may have seemed feasible in 2004, but climate change, the global financial crisis, oil insecurity and changing travel behaviour now show that the community opposition to wasting more than $15 billion on TransApex was fully justified.
The community is coming to understand that new road infrastructure projects are not the path to future social, economic and financial sustainability. Public infrastructure companies that have built and operated tolled roads and tunnels are writing down their value and struggling financially. Tunnel construction and operation is a risky gamble in this new environment.
More and more commuters are now driving less, combining their trips, using public transport more, and avoiding peak hours by using technology to work from home.
Instead of building more roads, Governments must divert more public funds into public transport, and walking and cycling infrastructure to support rapidly changing travel behaviour.
In the past, tolled private tunnels were foolishly included in transport plans without an open and transparent public process of risk assessment, informed discussion of different transport planning choices and changes to transport behaviour.
Now the Lord Mayor is spending ratepayers’ funds to promote the commercial product of a private tollroad operator in a last-ditch attempt to prop up what was always going to fail. He continues to issue misleading information about the “benefits” of using the tunnel. He says NSBT users will avoid “up to 18 sets of traffic lights”. They can already use the Riverside Expressway and the ICB between Buranda and Bowen Hills without passing a single traffic light and he knows it.
He has continued to saddle our city with debt to fund more investment in private vehicle infrastructure projects when peak oil and climate change raised serious doubts about the viability of these projects.
Our elected representatives have failed to deal with rapidly changing transport needs and constraints. Brisbane is now falling behind by other cities which have sustainable transport systems and infrastructure. Residents were not allowed to make reasoned and informed choices about our city’s future prior to the NSBT’s approval. This must never happen again.
We urge all motorists to indicate that simplistic “fixes” like the NSBT are never going to be viable alternatives for sustainable long-term transport plans by BOYCOTTING THE NORTH SOUTH BYPASS TUNNEL.
Media contact: CAST President David White 0403 871 082
Monday, May 19, 2008
Airport Link - Road to Nowhere
No doubt most of you have heard or read the media versions of today's disastrous public announcements.
Actually there were, in the usual style of Anna Blight's exuberance with public monies, no less than six media releases extolling the virtues of sinking billions of dollars of taxes into more roads and tunnels, and how great life will be in the Sunshine State when $4,800 million is spent to save some motorists 15 minutes of travelling time.
To assist you to locate this flood of fantastic foolishness, here is the link to what was said -
http://www.cabinet. qld.gov.au/ MMS/StatementSea rch.aspx? tog_id=5
and type "Airport Link" in the search field. All the statements were issued today.
Of course, in the course of one of the darkest days in the history of this State, there was strangely no mention of the fact that the price of a barrel of oil has increased by more than 30% in just the last 20 months, or of the fact that there is just no substitute for aviation fuel.
So, even if travellers are going to the airport via Airport Link in electric cars in 10 years, how many of them are going to be able to afford the $2000 airfare in today's prices to Sydney?
While solar-powered cars with a limited range are likely to be a reality within 10 years, there is no possibility of solar-powered aircraft unless science discovers how to manufacture aircraft constructed by using a substance so light it is yet to be created.
Even if such an alloy is created, the cost of its production will be prohibitive at a time when non-renewable energy will have to be rationed due to scarcity and tough restrictions on emissions.
Nuclear-powered commercial aircraft? How many will be willing to fly in one? Or live under a flightpath with the risk of a nuclear meltdown if a plane crashed?
Whichever way you look at it, Airport Link will inevitably become the Road to Nowhere. Mad Max's Highway to Hell.
And scholars will later record that today - 19 May 2008 - the biggest mistake in the history of this State was made by short-sighted dumb politicians who ultimately came to realise, probably after they retired or resigned, that wise intelligent leaders make decisions for the long-term benefit of the people rather than for short-term profit, perceived political advantage and patronage.
The really strange thing is that Minister McNamara is just about to make a statement that basically follows the line I've composed above.
More on this to come...
Actually there were, in the usual style of Anna Blight's exuberance with public monies, no less than six media releases extolling the virtues of sinking billions of dollars of taxes into more roads and tunnels, and how great life will be in the Sunshine State when $4,800 million is spent to save some motorists 15 minutes of travelling time.
To assist you to locate this flood of fantastic foolishness, here is the link to what was said -
http://www.cabinet. qld.gov.au/ MMS/StatementSea rch.aspx? tog_id=5
and type "Airport Link" in the search field. All the statements were issued today.
Of course, in the course of one of the darkest days in the history of this State, there was strangely no mention of the fact that the price of a barrel of oil has increased by more than 30% in just the last 20 months, or of the fact that there is just no substitute for aviation fuel.
So, even if travellers are going to the airport via Airport Link in electric cars in 10 years, how many of them are going to be able to afford the $2000 airfare in today's prices to Sydney?
While solar-powered cars with a limited range are likely to be a reality within 10 years, there is no possibility of solar-powered aircraft unless science discovers how to manufacture aircraft constructed by using a substance so light it is yet to be created.
Even if such an alloy is created, the cost of its production will be prohibitive at a time when non-renewable energy will have to be rationed due to scarcity and tough restrictions on emissions.
Nuclear-powered commercial aircraft? How many will be willing to fly in one? Or live under a flightpath with the risk of a nuclear meltdown if a plane crashed?
Whichever way you look at it, Airport Link will inevitably become the Road to Nowhere. Mad Max's Highway to Hell.
And scholars will later record that today - 19 May 2008 - the biggest mistake in the history of this State was made by short-sighted dumb politicians who ultimately came to realise, probably after they retired or resigned, that wise intelligent leaders make decisions for the long-term benefit of the people rather than for short-term profit, perceived political advantage and patronage.
The really strange thing is that Minister McNamara is just about to make a statement that basically follows the line I've composed above.
More on this to come...
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