Health fears over freight link fumes

source: the west australian

Health fears over freight link fumes

Parents with children, politicians, environmentalists and residents in dust masks joined yesterday to put faces to the campaign against the Perth Freight Link.

About 1000 protesters worried about everything from diesel fumes to poor planning gathered on Stirling Bridge in East Fremantle to show the growing opposition to the $1.6 billion State Government project.

Federal MP Alannah MacTiernan, who wants the heavy transport route scrapped, said the “crazy” project was hastily conceived, poorly thought out and would not “bring home the economic bacon”.

Labor would allocate $2 million to plan an outer harbour at Kwinana if it won the next Federal election.

Transport Minister Dean Nalder said the project was well-planned and environmentally responsible.

He said he was focused on the Roe 8 highway extension and the Government did what it could to minimise the environmental impacts of the “critical” project.

“We understand there are concerns whenever we do something that impacts on natural vegetation,” he said. “We need to make sure we’ve looked at it carefully.

“I’m comfortable that the process has been done properly and we’re doing the right thing.”

Public health physician Linda Selvey, an associate professor at Curtin University, said the link would ruin East Fremantle.

She said it would increase diesel particulates, traffic crashes and noise pollution while destroying green space and connectivity.

Those most affected would be children, the elderly and people with lung problems.

An application for a judicial review of the environmental approval of Roe 8 was filed in the Supreme Court last week.