PUBLIC TRANSPORT NEEDS MONEY

Monday, 08 September 2003 10:00

"Carl Scully's rejection of a toll on the M5 East or the rejection of any other idea at this stage is reprehensible -Sydney cannot afford to be complacent in the face of its greatest environmental and efficiency challenge. If it involves some financial pain over the coming decade - so be it," said Jeff Angel, Director of Total Environment Centre.

"Congestion is out if control with new roads being only bandaid patches; air pollution is spiralling to higher levels with the increase in car traffic and continued urban growth stretches an already parlous situation into a social and environmental nightmare."

"We welcome the IPART draft report as a breath of fresh air. Political games should not be part of the scene - genuine commitment to getting on top of the problem should be. We support building public infrastructure twice as fast as planned by the government."

"Sydney will get one chance in this electoral cycle - if we fail we condemn present and future generations to massive traffic congestion and worsening air pollution," Mr Angel said.