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Bob Layton editorial: Exhaust smoke and mirrrors

The exhaust of a Volkswagen Passat Bluemotion is photographed in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015. The software at the center of Volkswagen's emissions scandal in the U.S. was built into the automaker's cars in Europe as well, though it isn't yet clear if it helped cheat tests as it did in the U.S., Germany said Thursday. A day after longtime CEO Martin Winterkorn stepped down, a member of Volkswagen's supervisory board said that he expects further resignations at the automaker in the wake of the scandal. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The exhaust of a Volkswagen Passat. AP Photo/Michael Probst

As we continue to digest the predictions about the traffic delays that will be caused by the Valley Line LRT, even the possibility of 500 metres of drivers lined up waiting to move, comes a letter from George.

He wonders if anyone is considering the environmental impact this will have with all those cars sitting and waiting and idling — all that exhaust filling the air as the government preaches about the environment.

It was bad enough when he had to sit and wait at the Southgate crossing until they got that resolved. And then there was the NAIT line.

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George used to get to work in 18 minutes. Now with all the construction delays it’s more like 35. He fears what it will be like when the new trains are running and the serious predictions become reality.

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READ MORE: Report shows lineups as long as 500m at some intersections due to southeast Valley Line LRT

He knows the government would prefer he ride a bike or take public transit, but in his case that is not an option. Besides, he says, the longer he is delayed in traffic, the more money the government makes in gasoline and carbon taxes.

I hear you, George, and you’re not the only one who wonders if some of the talk about saving the environment is just a lot of exhaust smoke and mirrors.

Let me know what you think.

Bob Layton is the news manager of the Corus Edmonton group of radio stations and a commentator for Global News.

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