Public meeting: "The cars that ate Melbourne - Public transport solutions for the state."

As the Federal Govenment's reckless and anti-democratic imposition of population growth causes several hundred thousand extra vehicles to be added to Australia's roads each year, Protectors of Public Lands is planning to hold a meeting featuring transport planning expert Dr Paul Mees to talk about ending our dependence upon the private motor vehicle. From Protectors of Public lands Dr Paul Mees is the guest speaker at the Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc AGM for 2009. He has been a great supporter of community groups during campaigns opposing the East West Link which would have devastated inner city Melbourne and Royal and JJ Holland Park. Joint community action helped ensure that the East West Link - the extension of the Eastern Freeway - with its super size road tunnels was deleted (albeit temporarily) from the Victorian Transport Plan. We hope groups can show support for PPL VIC by attending. Here are the details of the meeting: Time: 1:45 pm for a 2 pm start Date: Saturday 5 December 2009 Venue: Meeting Room 1 Upstairs North Melbourne Library 66 Errol Street North Melbourne. It is one building along from the Town Hall and Post Office on the south east corner of Errol and Queensberry Streets. Tram up Elizabeth Street from Flinders Street Station to Errol Street. Parking in surrounding streets. Disabled parking in front of Library. Guest Speaker: Dr Paul Mees, senior lecturer in transport planning at RMIT, will speak on "The Cars that Ate Melbourne" - Public Transport Solutions for the State." Stay for afternoon tea and make contact with other groups, including transport action groups. Background Note: See below link to Dr Mees' Age article of 22 November 2009 "We can keep our leafy suburbs and still save the planet". This was presented on 18 November as a paper at a "State of Australian Cities" Conference in Perth. His book "Transport for Suburbia: Beyond the Automobile Age" will be released in December. See also: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/we-can-keep-our-leafy-suburbs-and-still-save-the-planet-20091122-isqz.html">"We can keep our leafy suburbs and still save the planet" in the Age of 23 Nov 09 Contact: Julianne Bell Secretary Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc. jbell5[AT]bigpond.com Mobile 0408 022408