Appeal against Kingston bypass

The Kingston Bypass Community Walk will take place on Sunday 25 October commencing at 3pm at Spring Farm Road, Kingston to call for sustainable transport.

I have lodged an appeal against the granting of the Planning Permit by Kingborough Council for the Kingston Bypass because there seems to be a case that a Climate Change Impact Statement should have been prepared by DIER and considered under the Kingborough Planning Scheme 2000.

The alarm bells are ringing loudly on the international stage.
Concentration of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere is already about 10% greater than at any time in the past 400,000 years or more. The international community will not let the atmosphere self-destruct without a fight.

The world’s expert climate scientists will meet in Copenhagen in December to read the riot act to the world. Australians are the worst of all atmosphere polluters and seriousness of the situation is lost on many political leaders. Bushfires are more intense, ice is melting and the ability of the oceans to absorb carbon is declining.

So, why are we even contemplating extending the Kingston Bypass? How can there be more cars if the almost unanimous view of scientists world wide is that growing pollution means certain death to the world? Furthermore, most experts believe that oil production, the mainstay of road transport, will be in decline during the coming decade. Australia’s oil production has declined by about 40% since its peak in 2000.

The point is that historical growth of traffic through Kingston cannot continue. Carbon taxation and declining availability of fuel means that commuters will be forced to find alternatives. There is simply no reason to spend $42 million to extend the Southern Outlet and leave Kingborough without an integrated and sustainable transport solution.

BTW – watch out for pork-barreling over the Midlands Highway. It would be funny if it was not so serious.

Visit www.hybriped.com for more on the Kingston Bypass.