Media release Thursday 4th January 2001

Orbital? More like hangman's noose choking Sydney's kids to death. Another environmental con job on Western Sydney.

Today Friends of the Earth spokesperson Tom McLoughlin rejected the western Sydney tollway announcement as a 1950's transport policy, a proven failure from Los Angeles, pandering to the road construction lobby and right wing construction unions.

"Increased road capacity in the UK and the US is proven to increase diesel powered and general traffic, increase air pollution and kill asthmatic children. NSW government reports show 500 premature deaths a year in Sydney from air pollution which is 80% sourced to traffic. Half Sydney's land area is already dedicated to car use. A truly bizarre land use situation.

"If the road construction/big business lobby care about the health and lifestyle of western Sydney voters they should answer these questions

1. How will 39km of new tarmac reduce diesel fuelled truck kilometres in the airshed?

2. How long will it take before this new road has an average vehicle speed of 20 km per hour and congests like all other roads, conveniently generating another platform for new road construction?

3. How will it reduce the 500 deaths a year from air pollution, while increasing road use?

"In particular Councillor Mark Greenhill should be made accountable for his support for environmental disasters. His last foray in big party politics was on behalf of the logging union in NSW. He was dedicated to woodchipping iconic old growth forest with quite a deal of success. Greenhil is nothing if not a faithful ALP careerist" concluded Mr McLoughlin

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