Petition: Stop TMR putting artificial turf on public land
Please sign and share this petition (all Queensland residents) closing date 11 February 2024
Did someone make an official decision to start putting artificial grass on traffic islands and median strips?
This is the intersection of Gympie & Stafford Rd at Kedron.
Until recently the little bits of land amid all that concrete were all planted out. Now the largest bed of that planting has been ripped out and replaced with green plastic / fake grass.
The same is happening at Wishart on the south-side. These are state roads. If you know of other sites, please add in the comments below.
We’ve created a petition on the official State Government website here to ask that they stop doing this and reinstate more nature-positive alternatives.
Petition
Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House our concern that the Department of Transport and Main Roads is placing artificial grass on median strips and traffic islands on state roads in Brisbane and possibly throughout the state.
This increases the urban heat island effect making the surrounding area hotter for residents, pedestrians, and other users of this space.
It also reduces opportunity for planting for biodiversity and habitat, reduces soil health, and affects stormwater runoff and quality.
At a time when we need to increase natural biodiversity and preferably native habitat in all available land to help mitigate the effects of climate change, this practice is taking us in the wrong direction.
Moreover, the use of this material by government organisations normalises the use of this environmentally-destructive product to the general public.
Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to do all in its power to ensure that:
a) The full life-cycle impact of products (including production, maintenance, and disposal) on the environment be considered in choosing materials and treatments of all infrastructure and landscaping designs on all public and government land.
b) Installation of artificial grass on all public and government land ceases immediately.
c) Where artificial grass has already been installed, a program to reinstate more nature-positive alternatives is rolled out.
The response from the Minister for Transport to the petition is at https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=4002
Unlike the response from the Minister for Education, there is no reference to the Queensland
Government's Climate Action Plan.
"I refer to petition 4002-23, lodged with the Legislative Assembly on 13 February 2024 requesting
the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) stop placing artificial turf on public land.
"TMR uses concrete or similar treatments in narrow medians and intersection traffic islands where
road safety constraints are an important consideration. It can be difficult to sustain vegetation in
these environments due to soil profiles, limited irrigation and heat from surrounding pavements.
The option of vegetation treatments introduces the need for more frequent maintenance increasing
road safety risks and associated traffic control, which is costly.
"There are limited locations within the state-controlled road network where artificial turf has been
installed as an alternative finish to concrete. Given the context in which artificial turf has been
used, TMR does not intend on removing the existing treatments and replacing them with
vegetation.
"I trust this information is of assistance."
This petition has closed with 1205 signatures.
Referred to Hon Bart Mellish MP on the 15/2/2024. A response is due on 14/3/2024
https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Closed-EPetitions