Tara Murray
Ardeer residents just want some peace and quiet.
Residents who live near the Western Ring Road say noise coming from the road and Ballarat Road continues to get worse, keeping them up at night.
Resident Kevin, who did not want his last name published, said the noise was a nightmare.
“It has been going on for years,” he said.
“The traffic noise comes from the road between Furlong and Tilburn roads in Ardeer.
“What they call noise barriers might have been sufficient back in 1996 when it was built, but they aren’t sufficient now and only half of the section has noise barriers.
“I’ve got an overpass here and it goes over to Ballarat Road and it has no noise barriers … and it’s just terrible.”
Kevin said he and other residents had complained to VicRoads and Brimbank council over the years but little had changed.
Star Weekly has seen letters from residents as far back as 2011 raising concerns about the noise in the area.
Residents met with council and VicRoads in 2018.
Among the solutions Kevin sought was truck engine brake signs and noise barriers across the whole road.
“They could put up bigger noise barriers,” he said.
“We must have technology these days that can come up with something on the bitumen that can reduce the noise.
“Engines are another thing, noisy cars, noisy motorcycles, truck exhaust, the list goes on.”
Kevin, who has recently retired, said he was noticing the noise even more due to being home more.
He said unless something is done, residents will continue to suffer.
“I know of a resident who recently bought a house, but moved out as it was too noisy. It just doesn’t stop.”
A Department of Transport spokesperson said the department takes traffic noise seriously and that a recent study found the noise walls in place on the ring road were sufficient.
The study, which was conducted in 2018, found in no case did noise levels exceed the trigger for consideration of noise barrier retrofitting under the VicRoads Traffic Noise Reduction Policy.
