Noise barriers erected for the new Regional Rail Link are not good enough, according to a disgruntled Sunshine resident.
Nick, who asked not to have his surname printed, says not enough has been done to stop the noise pollution.
“The noise cancelling barriers do absolutely nothing,” he said.
“They’ll [authorities] argue that they’ve done all these tests for noise. But where have they done the tests? There’s no way this would be allowed in the eastern suburbs.”
Regional Rail Link Authority spokesman Paul Frawley insisted the barriers along the line’s noise hotspots were effective but conceded some increase in noise levels was inevitable.
“Noise barriers will provide the best noise mitigation benefits for residents,” he said.
“With extra passenger services enabled by the project, there will be an increase in rail noise for some residents already living next to the rail corridor.”
A 2011 Environmental Protection Authority report, obtained after a Sunday Age freedom-of-information request, expressed concerns about the effects of the Regional Rail Link including levels of noise pollution the project would produce.
“The noise levels are expected to significantly to extremely exceed the criteria set in other jurisdictions, including New South Wales,” it stated.
Regular exposure to high levels of noise pollution has been linked to a number of adverse health effects.
A Regional Rail Link noise and vibration assessment stated stress, loss of concentration, an increase in blood pressure and lack of sleep could be attributed to regular exposure to noise pollution.
The Regional Rail Link Authority says it will undertake “post-operational noise measurements” to make sure noise stays below acceptable levels.
Ballarat and Bendigo trains are already using new dedicated tracks from Sunshine to Southern Cross Station, separating them from metropolitan services.
