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On 30 March 2006 Ms Lee Rhiannon asked the Minister for Roads a question without notice regarding M5 East tunnel air pollution. The Minister for Roads provided the following response:
I am advised:
The Roads and Traffic Authority's (RTA) Motorways Directorate was not established until 2004. The RTA's Director, Motorways Mr Les Wielinga does not have a record of having sent an email on 25 April 2002 in relation to the M5 East tunnel.
At that time, concerns had been raised by Emergency Services personnel who attended the first multi-vehicle accident in the Cook's River tunnel on 19 February 2002. As a result of those concerns and subsequent interagency discussions, NSW Health undertook its "M5 East Tunnels Air Quality Monitoring Project", July 2003 that concluded:
We have demonstrated that for a range of transits with the cabin open or closed during peak hour through the M5 East tunnels, motorists are unlikely to encounter air pollution that would lead to acute health impacts.
The Conditions of Approval require the World Health Organisation (WHO) 15-minute carbon monoxide (CO) goal of 87 ppm.
I am further advised the M5 East tunnel meets the air quality goals set by the Conditions of Approval.