Posts tagged ‘UpfieldLine’
Submission: Retaining trees as heritage and to moderate heat in Gandolfo Gardens with Skyrail construction
Urban forest canopy in a highly urbanised area such as around Moreland Station provides vital environmental services. These include habitat for urban wildlife, particularly birds, air filtering pollutants, absorbing excesses rain runoff reducing urban flooding, and providing shade under the established tree canopy which reduces localised temperatures during extreme heat events.
The urban heat island effect is very prominent along the Upfield Corridor and tree canopy provides one of the best methods for local reduction in temperatures during extreme heat events. The trees in Gandolfo Gardens, part of the larger Moreland Reserves either side of the station, contribute substantially to community well being. While most of the present trees were planted during the 1970s and 1980s, there are several trees likely to be well over a hundred years old and part of the original community tree planting in 1911. The local community, lead by the Coburg Progress Association faought hard for the establishment of these reserves and the gardens and trees therein.
Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) will remove 4 sequential level crossings to build an elevated rail line starting from Tinning street and ending before O’Hea street in a $460 million construction project. At Moreland Road the proposal is to build a new elevated station north of the present heritage listed station.
This will entail the destruction of 113 trees within the Moreland Station Reserves, with inadequate reasons given for why the new station could not be built south of Moreland Road, over the road, or on the north side next to Moreland Road. LXRP fail to provide possible alternative construction methodologies to minimise the number of trees to be removed.
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Rising Transport emissions reason to upgrade and extend the #UpfieldLine
Australia’s rising transport emissions. Source: Chartingtransport.com
Climate Action Moreland member Pauline Galvin highlighted the importance of track duplication and upgrade of the Upfield train line to enhance mode shift to more sustainable transport and reduce transport climate emissions.
Her speech was made at a rally in Fawkner Organised by the Upfield Transport Alliance in the campaign for the state government to stop ignoring transport infrastructure in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, and provide sustainable transport options for an expanding population living along the Upfield line and further north.
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Transport Policy in Moreland for the Climate Emergency
Upfield path at Brunswick station
Climate Emergency
The Paris Climate Agreement aspirational target limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees is starting to look unachievable. Even meeting the hard target of 2 degrees, which will still result in huge damage (e.g. probable loss of the Great Barrier Reef), will require governments everywhere to lift their game.
We are pleased to hear that Moreland Council acknowledged we are in a state of climate emergency at the Council meeting on 12 September 2018.
We note Moreland Council’s community emissions reduction policies and targets for 2020 and 2040. Transport is one of the largest sources of greenhouse emissions, amounting to 25.8 per cent of emissions in Moreland in 2013-14. Governments at all levels need to lift their game.
Greenhouse Emissions from Transport
Transport is one of the largest sources of greenhouse emissions, amounting to 19 per cent Australia wide, and 25.8 per cent of emissions in Moreland in 2013-14. Here too, governments at all levels need to lift their game.
Major Change in Priorities for Transport Infrastructure
At the state level we think a major shift is needed in Transport infrastructure funding. In 2018 Roads funding was 69.1 per cent, Public Transport 30.5 per cent and Active Transport just 0.36 per cent. There needs to be a major priority change in this area to meet climate targets.
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Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change 