Council in Melbourne declares health emergency, claiming truck pollution is linked to high rates of illness

Maribyrnong city council says lack of enforcement of road train curfew has undermined its ability to protect residents

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A “health emergency” has been declared by a Melbourne council, which claims residents are suffering above-average rates of hospitalisations for certain conditions partly due to a surge in road trains on its suburban streets.

Maribyrnong city council, which takes in Footscray in the city’s inner western suburbs, announced the declaration on Wednesday, claiming rates of illness in the municipality due to pollution “considerably exceed the Australian average”.

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