Letters to the Editor: Historic zoo at risk

LAST weekend celebrations marked the 150th birthday of the zoo, that much loved, historic institution in Royal Park. The public seems unaware, however, of the threat to the zoo posed by the government’s plans to push ahead with the east-west link. The route of this monster, four-lane roadway will be through Royal Park, quite close to the zoo.

Word is that building a tunnel will be too expensive so, as recommended by the 2008 Eddington review, the road will be open-cut. The implications for the zoo, its animals and visitors regarding pollution and noise during and after construction are too alarming to contemplate.

A large coalition of community groups, allied to local councils, have been campaigning for the Doncaster rail link instead. Looks as though our next campaign will have to be Save the Zoo from the neanderthals in the government and their archaic transport plans.

JULIANNE BELL, Parkville