Re: Truck battle: Footscray, Yarraville locals raise mighty racket against rat runners (Weekly, November 21)
Truck numbers have been increasing and are projected to keep increasing, making this an unsustainable situation for both residents and industry. It’s not just the ‘new people’ who want this issue addressed. I have lived in Yarraville for 44 years and think we deserve better! Diesel fumes have been confirmed to be as bad as passive smoking. I don’t want to be a cancer statistic — I can’t imagine anyone would.
– Keep the west best
Re: Regional Rail Link works stir up dust, noise complaints (Weekly, November 28)
The people managing the RRL are a disgrace. The noise and dust from these works have to be heard and seen to be believed. Transport Minister Terry Mulder refuses to take responsibility by referring all complaints back to the RRL authorities. The EPA won’t get involved so RRL is left to monitor itself. Would this be allowed to happen in Kew? Not on your life — once again the west cops it.
– Buddy love
Disgraceful, Mr Mulder. Not only have people lost their businesses because of this project but now their health is at risk. Are they testing for asbestos? What criteria are they using to decide what levels of dust are acceptable? Why can’t this role be undertaken by the EPA? There are a heap of things about this project that smell, not just the diesel. Roller door guy
Noisy works are carried out at night because the trains need to keep running in the daytime. It’s not actually difficult to understand. The same would apply in Kew or anywhere in Melbourne, or do you imagine the state would prioritise a street full of residents over thousands of commuters just because they live in Kew?
– Footscray resident
The government should relocate the people during this time, it’s the only alternative.
– Oz
Two more years of this hell and you’ll be seeing suicides. Sleep deprivation is a form of torture.
– Claire
I have been a resident in the Yarraville and now Kingsville area for more than 19 years. I travel through Sommerville Road at le ast two times a day. For the past three years I have driven past the old Buckley’s Auto and Fuel Station site between Sturt and Severn streets, which is now abandoned and derelict. It looks like a war zone in a war-torn country, an open invitation for graffiti and tagging. It’s a shame that our council has let this happen when over the years we have seen the efforts of so many people in beautifying the houses and businesses in our suburb. Also, the entrance to our suburb when you enter the West Gate Bridge is unimpressive, full of weeds, dirty and full of graffiti. However, if you go towards Williamstown, it is a completely different scenery. Interestingly, it is managed by a different council. About time our council got on board with our people and showed some pride in our suburb by beautification initiatives.
– Maria Ricardo, Kingsville
I attended last Tuesday’s meeting of Hobsons Bay Council with my husband Michael Sergi and about 50 land owners of property on Altona’s Burns Road industrial estate. Our objective was to ask questions about the lack of any initiative regarding this land which dates back to 2004.
I wish to highlight the process which appeared to be stage- managed to silence the disgruntled land owners. My husband has been a vocal advocate for the development of this estate for seven years and remains in contact with many land owners. He informed them of his plans for the meeting and was inundated with more than 100 questions. We narrowed this down to a total of 14 to be asked.
I arrived at 6pm and approached a council official concerning the process regarding questions. She said she “would get back to me”. She did not contact me again and, in fact, made every effort to avoid me. It was a very frustrating experience to wait for so long for our questions to be raised only for the mayor to indicate that they were “complex” and would require a written reply from council.
Will the council write to all the land owners who were present? This is a very unsatisfactory outcome and appears to be a ploy on behalf of the council to buy time on this issue.
It is unfortunate that the meeting broke up in uproar and we apologise to the new councillors as they will not have had any prior information on this issue. We eagerly await council’s reply to these questions.
– Lana Popovic Sergi, Laverton North
