State budget no answer for clean air

Thursday, 06 June 2002 10:00

TEC Urban Campaigner Mr Leigh Martin said "Western Sydney is choking under severe air pollution and traffic congestion, while commitments made before the last state election to boost public transport and improve air quality are hopelessly behind schedule. The lack of funding for new public transport infrastructure projects in this budget is a major blow to residents seeking relief from car dependency and polluted air.

Despite announcements of some funding for new rolling stock and track upgrading, essential projects such as the Parramatta to Epping section of the Parramatta to Chatswood rail ink and the north west rail link remain stalled with no firm funding commitments or commencement dates.

"While new carriages and track improvements are welcome and long overdue, they will do nothing to address inadequate system capacity and provide relief to residents of north and south west Sydney who have extremely poor access to public transport. These are band-aid solutions to a problem that requires major surgery", Mr Martin said.

TEC has warned the government public transport will be a key issue at next year's state election and that it faces a major voter backlash in western Sydney unless it acts immediately to boost public transport funding and developer contributions.

"There can be no excuses for further delays in fixing the appalling lack of public transport in western Sydney", Mr Martin said.