“CEAC - Gov't fund NZ rail freight/passenger services.”
Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre Incorporated (CEAC)

Press release 1st December 2019.

Letter to - Labour party MPs at Labour party conference.

IMPORTANT
Today 1st December 2019, at the Labour Party conference, the press has reported that infrastructure funding boost will be made here today and we await the funding boost to Gisborne/HB rail freight/passenger services be made as these regions have been without rail services for 7 long years since 2012.

No more road subsidies without similar subsidies for rail services please.

This press release below was sent out 11th September 2019 criticising lack of ‘rail focus.’ during ‘Infrastructure NZ ’plea to Government for more funding.

CEAC supports $6 Billion for infrastructure
Wednesday, 11 September 2019, 7:44 am
Press Release: Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre

CEAC supports ‘Infrastructure NZ’ (INZ) CEO Paul Blair to seek an increase in more ‘transformation rather than incremental’ change to promote ‘national’ community wellbeing so that is a positive step forward if increased use of rail is signalled here.
The result of the 2019 ‘Building Nations’ Symposium from 21-23 August forum polling was to seek ‘transformation rather than incremental’ change with a $6 billion dollar boost to regional infrastructure funding by industry leaders. QUOTE; “Our proposal, which almost three-quarters of respondents supported, would double the current $3 billion Provincial Growth Fund into a $6 billion Regional Growth Fund and use it as a tool to align central and local government investment.
That sounds good but sadly there was no mention of rail once again so we fear they are lobbying only for roading.

*Government must fund publicly owned rail properly as Kiwi Rail lacks adequate funding for staff, locomotives and rolling stock to service all regions to upgrade our export regions by rail freight services such as our Gisborne/HB regions.

QUOTE; Paul Blair; “Respondents overwhelmingly supported more tools for local and regional governments in order to unlock the full potential of our regions; - Three-quarters of the infrastructure sector have called for transformation, rather than incremental change, of the culture and incentives between central and local government to work together to promote national well-being,” says Infrastructure NZ CEO Paul Blair.”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1909/S00130/infrastructure-sector-calls-for-transformational-reform.htm

CEAC would be delighted to hear from (INZ) that rail was also part of that $6 Billion Dollar also, so we shall see.

IMPORANT
Today 1st December 2019, at the Labour Party conference, the press has reported that infrastructure funding boost will be made here today and we await the funding boost to Gisborne/HB rail freight/passenger services be made as these regions have been without rail services for 7 long years since 2012.

*Government must fund publicly owned rail properly as Kiwirail lacks adequate funding for staff, locomotives and rolling stock to service all regions to upgrade our export regions by rail freight services such as our Gisborne/HB regions.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Labour party must take this into consideration here, as the health of all citizens are at stake if even more truck se instead of rail is used.

Subject; - CEAC public health notice - Study; - Quote; “Living near a busy road can stunt children's lung growth, a UK report has shown.
Children's health was found to be affected by staying within 50 metres of the road.”

Read the press release today below.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/11/living-near-a-busy-road-may-stunt-children-s-lung-growth-study.html

26 November 2019
HEALTH
Living near a busy road may stunt children's lung growth - study
Sae Strang

The study also revealed one-third of Londoners are thought to live near a busy road.

Living near a busy road can stunt children's lung growth, a UK report has shown.

Children's health was found to be affected by staying within 50 metres of the road.

The study recorded the effect of roadside pollution across 13 cities in the UK and Poland.

It found 14 percent of kids in Oxford had stunted lung growth, while in London 13 per cent were affected and 8 percent in Birmingham.
Related News

The study also revealed one-third of Londoners, an estimated 3 million people, are thought to live near a busy road.

According to the research, written by King's College London and released by a coalition of 15 health and environment non-governmental organizations (NGO) said, living near a road with heavy traffic may increase your risk of developing lung cancer by up to ten percent.

The new study also showed an increased risk of cardiac arrest, heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, bronchitis as well as reduced lung function in children who live near a traffic-ridden road.

Amongst the report, the coalition of NGOs has been calling on politicians to commit to taking steps to in order to reduce the drastic state of illegal air pollution across the UK to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

"Air pollution makes us, and especially our children, sick from cradle to grave, but is often invisible. This impressive research makes this public health crisis - which affects people all across the UK - visible, and shows the urgency with which all political parties must prioritise cleaning up our air," said Dr Rob Hughes, Senior Fellow at the Clean Air Fund in the King's College London press release.

This is the first time a wide range of health conditions and cities have been analysed in one report.
End
Please keep this evidence as a record of residential health concerns to be mitigated.
CEAC encourage to see a Government who is caring, considerate inclusive and responsive to citizens’ concerns.

Ken Crispin
Secretary.
CEAC In’c, 2001.
Director - CER Lt’d. 2002.

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