EPA ACCUSED OF NOT MONITORING MOTORWAY AIR QUALITY

The Environmental Protection Agency has been accused of failing to monitor air quality on Irish motorways.

In a submission to the EPA, Friends of the Irish Environment have claimed that the Environmental Impact Assessment for the M50 revealed levels that breached air quality regulations yet the EPA has no monitoring sites on the motorway.

The group claims air quality exceeded the permitted levels were found in the EIA for the M50 widening at Castleknock Road, Park Drive Green, Holyville Terrace, Halting Site at N7, and the Ibis Hotel.

'The public would have never known their health was at risk from the EPA, who are the ones supposed to be monitoring air quality in Ireland', said a FIE spokesman. 'Even early Guidance Documents on the EC Air Quality Directives state that the key pollutants are mainly caused by emissions from automotive traffic. Yet the EPA will not locate their air monitoring sites at our motorways.'

'Monitoring sites should be in the area directly adjacent to our motorways. Roads leading to and from the M50 or any other motorway should also be included as houses on these would have a direct effect from the traffic.' The failure of the EPA to locate their monitoring sites along our major roads conceals the extent of the potential health effects and their contribution to greenhouse gases.

The World Health Organization has shown that the average European city dweller can expect to die a year before the end of his or her natural life span because of air pollution. Children's' lungs develop poorly, making them more vulnerable throughout their lives - particularly to pneumonia and asthma.

And the pollution produced, particularly ozone, can travel many miles into rural areas damaging human health, forest & crops. In California USA estimates of financial cost of plant injury form ozone were as high as $500 million in lost revenue per year.

The European Environmental Agency has stated that Ireland has the 'highest level of growth' in per capital transport emissions in the EU. The EPA itself stated this month that 'the rise of transport emissions was by far the largest in any sector in 2005 and reflected a 160 per cent increase on 1990 figures. 96% of transport pollution came from road transport.'

FIE claims that the Air Quality Directive requires Member States to provide for measures to control and, where necessary, suspend activities, including motor-vehicle traffic, which contributes to the limit values being exceeded.

The submission also reveals:

- that audits to industrial establishments have fallen 68% in the last 2 years while the number of establishments that must be monitored is increasing

- that present water quality standards are not sufficient to save legally protected endangered species

- that contrary to years of promises, no soil monitoring network has been established
and

- that the EPA itself in spite of openly publishing persistent and critical failures in water quality and monitoring by Local Authorities, has yet to use the powers given to it by the Environment Act 2003 to enforce the law.

Irish drivers feel unsafe and unhappy ... news?

Treacy Hogan in the irish Indo' writes - IRISH motorists are the unhappiest in Europe and do not feel safe on our roads.
An unpublished report obtained by the Irish Independent reveals that drivers are feeling increasingly worried while driving, both day and night.
They are fed up with dangerous road surfaces, according to the 'European Road User Survey 2006' report, which graphically shows how Government expenditure of billions of euro still has not provided a top-class, safer network.
There is stinging criticism for the hopelessly inadequate number of facilities at which to stop and recover from driving fatigue.
The report also found concerns about road surfaces, signs, rest places and general safety on the roads had actually worsened since a similar survey in 2004.
Hundreds of motorists in Ireland were interviewed on 11 key aspects of the road network, and the results were compared with those of other countries.
"The quality of the road surface is considered to be the main issue in Ireland," it says. "Compared with the surrounding countries and the European average, in Ireland relatively fewer drivers feel secure." It finds that:
* Almost half of all drivers here do not feel safe on the road, day or night.
* Most drivers are unhappy with road surface quality, in contrast with English and French counterparts.
* Drivers feel far less satisfied, particularly about the lack of rest places and the availability of 'variable message signs' (providing regular information updates) along major motorways.
* Despite the Government spending billions on roads, satisfaction actually fell over the past three years since a similar survey was carried out.
* Over half of Irish drivers (54pc) regularly experience delays, compared with France (38pc), England (45pc) and an average of just 40pc across Europe.
Other issues were better visibility of road signage, more regular replacement of road markings, more road lighting and better winter maintenance. The National Roads Authority (NRA) said yesterday its investment programme was addressing concerns in the survey.
Confidence
Sean O'Neill, NRA spokesman, said: "With over €4bn of new roads already on the ground and an additional €1.5bn starting this year, we are confident we will be changing the road users' experience for the better."
The survey was conducted by the Dutch-based Trans European Road Network, representing national roads networks across the EU.
Meanwhile, work has begun on a 24km stretch of new motorway along one of the country's busiest and most dangerous routes.
Transport Minister Martin Cullen turned the first sod of Phase 2 of the Waterford-Dublin road project in South Kilkenny yesterday, due for completion in 2009.