Article: Diesel headaches at Southern Cross

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Diesel headaches at Southern Cross

Diesel headaches at Southern Cross

    by: Greg Thom
    From: Herald Sun
    February 12, 2012 12:00AM

PASSENGERS at Southern Cross station are being smothered in toxic fumes, according to staff.

Employees said emissions from idling V/Line trains trapped under the structure's wave roof were affecting the health of passengers and workers.

Some staff have even begun referring to themselves as "the walking dead".

The Transport Department maintains results from tests carried out at the station in December showed the air quality was within acceptable levels.

But Rail, Tram and Bus union secretary Trevor Dobbyn said he understood the tests revealed for the first time the level of harmful nitrogen dioxide had exceeded Australian standards on several occasions.

"This is proof of what our members have been saying all along and something needs to be done," he said.

Station log-book entries seen by the Herald Sun catalogue diesel-related health complaints including:

STAFF and passengers complaining of severe headaches, sore throats and eye irritations.

A PASSENGER who vomited when he breathed in fumes after leaving a train.

FUMES forcing staff to abandon Collins St barriers.

AN ambulance called for a wheelchair bound passenger who had difficulty breathing.

Despite complaints, station staff said authorities had refused to admit the full extent of the problem.

One station employee said staff had had enough. "You always feel sick here with headaches and sore throats," he said.

They accused the station managers, AssetCo, of turning a blind eye to the problem.

"Diesel fumes dramatically increase the risk of cardiac arrest, stroke and sudden death in vulnerable people," one worker said.

Mr Dobbyn called for extraction fans to be installed to help disperse the fumes, a solution that would cost several million dollars.

A Department of Transport spokesman said air-quality tests had consistently shown readings had remained within acceptable levels.

The department said it was, nevertheless, working with station operator Civic Nexus and Metro "to address" the concerns of staff.

[verbatim9]

I notice a bad diesel smell each time I am at Southern Cross station. The Station is semi enclose therefore especially in Winter when there is inversion the Diesel hangs around as there is no way of the smoke pollution to escape + no exhaust ventilation. Why not remove  few roofs sails to allow the diesel smoke to go into the atmosphere. Also the steel beams and sails need a good Gerni !!! The pollution build up on those beams is not very attractive. Long term solution is electrification of the Country lines especially Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo lines.

[SurfRail]

Just put some exhaust extraction in.  Frankly it beggars belief that this was not installed from day 1.

I presume Britomart has some supercharged fans, otherwise it would be even worse than Southern Cross!

[ozbob]

The smell of steam at Spencer Street, invigorating!   

[somebody]

Just put some exhaust extraction in.  Frankly it beggars belief that this was not installed from day 1.

I presume Britomart has some supercharged fans, otherwise it would be even worse than Southern Cross!

Robert Schwandl reported that the air is not at all pleasant there.

(schwandl.blogspot.com IIRC)