FOOTSCRAY residents are being hammered by truck and train noise far above “the highest acceptable levels”.
A report presented to last night’s Maribyrnong Council meeting reveals noise in residential streets and along the rail corridor is already unacceptable and will get worse because of the Regional Rail Link and rapid port expansion.
SLR Global Environmental Solutions tested noise at five sites in Moore Street, Whitehall Road and Buckley Street. Since 2006, truck movements have more than doubled in Moore Street, to an average of 2647 a day.
Night-time truck traffic is up almost 40 per cent in the 12 months to March and 400 per cent heavier than in 2006, spurring calls for a night curfew.
Traffic noise levels were recorded at up to 13 decibels above noise limits, exceeding the highest acceptable level by up to five decibels.
“Were these properties to be situated beside a VicRoads-controlled freeway, then the barrier retrofitting program would be initiated,” the report noted.
Rail noise was measured in Footscray at Railway Place, Short Street and Windsor Street. Single trains were recorded at over 100 decibels.
Although noise levels are above recommended limits, only the section near Middle Footscray station is above the state government’s draft noise policy investigation threshold of a three-decibel increase. “No mitigation is therefore likely to be considered for any other locations in Footscray,” the report stated.
Fair Go For Footscray Rail Residents spokesman Nick Fahey said the findings revealed the inadequacy of the state government’s proposed rail noise policy.
“There is the sense that Footscray people are supposed to just tolerate it. We call it the boiling frog syndrome — these gradual increases in noise up to extraordinary levels.” Mr Fahey said residents had received strong indications from the Regional Rail Link Authority that noise mitigation measures would be incorporated into the project once the policy was officially in place.
The noise report will be referred to the Transport Department for consideration as part of its draft noise policy and to VicRoads for consideration in the Truck Curfews Review.
