Meeting supports public transport

Meeting supports public transport

By Alex Cooper

MELBOURNE — At its peak the smog in Melbourne is equal to that in New York, according to Dr Graeme Lorimer, an environment specialist. Addressing a meeting of 250 people at the Melbourne Town Hall on March 7, he spelled out the hazards associated with car usage.

The exhaust fumes from motor vehicles can be broken down into three parts, all of them lethal, said Lorimer: respiratory particles, which cause emphysema and asthma, carcinogens, which cause cancer and lead, which affects children particularly.

Photochemical smog is the biggest killer in the state. And the only one way to reduce smog is to improve public transport.

Other speakers included Paul Mees, secretary of the Public Transport Users Association, who said it was complete nonsense to say we can't afford decent public transport when other states are building new lines. He accused the bureaucrats in the Public Transport Corporation of planning for failure and cooking the books to paint a gloomier picture than the reality.

Following the speakers, motions were passed reaffirming opposition to the public transport cuts proposed by the Kennett Liberal government.

From GLW issue 92