NSW Government commissions Sydney motorway air quality review after community pollution concerns

Millions of dollars could be spent retrofitting major Sydney tunnel projects with filtration devices to address community fears over car pollution.

A concept photo of the WestConnex ventilation ‘smoke stack’ towers at Rozelle.

Millions of dollars could be spent retrofitting major Sydney tunnel projects with filtration devices to address community fears over car pollution.

The NSW Government has ordered a review of a chief scientist report into air quality associated with major underground motorways such as WestConnex and the new Western Harbour Tunnel linking to the inner west and the north shore.

The review will focus on potential air quality impacts from unfiltered tunnel ventilation towers that are built as part of the tunnel infrastructure to disperse vehicle exhaust.

Some of the towers stand up to 35m tall above ground level and are located in densely populated suburbs including Rozelle, Homebush – with more planned for the Western Harbour Tunnel including in Cammeray.

The towers – also known as ‘smoke stacks’ – have been subject to years of campaigns by residents and community groups who unsuccessfully lobbied the previous government for the towers to be fitted with filtration systems due to potential health and pollution concerns.

A photo of the construction of the WestConnex smoke stack in Homebush.

Prior to this year’s election, NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen had been a vocal critic of the proximity of unfiltered smoke stacks to primary schools due to concerns it could increase the risk of asthma.

The previous government’s stance on filtration was based on two independent NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer reports which found that emissions from road tunnels caused a negligible change to surrounding air quality and that there was “little to no health benefit to surrounding communities in installing filtration and air treatment systems in those tunnels”.

Ms Haylen has previously raised concerns over ventilation stacks for the WestConnex tunnel.

Ms Haylen has confirmed the new government has sought a review of the reports – including investigating potential air quality impacts from the tunnel infrastructure.

In parliament, Ms Haylen said: “I understand that residents want assurance that the air they and their kids breathe is safe (and) I assure the community that our government is committed to the health and safety of all road users.”

The move has been welcomed by some residents including Homebush local Todd Hillsely who said the unfiltered smoke stacks near his home had turned the suburb into “Sydney’s exhaust pipe”.

The review has come too late for others, including Monette Lee who said she made the difficult decision to sell her Rozelle home due to concerns over living near a ventilation tower.

New ventilation facilities are planned for the Western Harbour Tunnel in Cammeray.

“We fought for three years trying to stop it being built and in the end I sold up and moved to Queensland because I couldn’t stand it,” she said.

State Opposition transport spokesman Natalie Ward has hit out at the review, saying it was a waste of taxpayer money.

“The previous Coalition Government followed independent advice in relation to ventilation outlets for tunnel projects that showed ventilation is not required a point regularly ignored by the Transport Minister when she was in opposition,” she said.

Community groups have spent years lobbying for filtration.

“The Transport Minister engaging in review after review is a waste of taxpayer dollars. If she thought it was a good policy decision for WestConnex then she should implement it for the Western Harbour Tunnel.”

Planning documents for the Western Harbour Tunnel recognised there were community concerns about air quality but stated the tunnels will be built to meet “strict air quality standards” using state-of-the-art ventilation and tunnel design.

“Our studies have also shown emissions from the ventilation outlets … will only have a minimal impact on the surrounding air quality,” the documents stated.

It is understood the construction cost of adding a filtration device would cost at least $2m per ventilation facility.

Transport for NSW is currently working with the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer on the final terms of reference for the review.