FRUSTRATED Brimbank residents have put forward an urgent proposal to reduce noise and visual pollution along the Sunshine to Deer Park corridor of the Regional Rail Link.
Leaders of the Fix the Links action group met with the Regional Railway Link Authority last Thursday night. Sunshine resident Geraldine Brooks said it was the first time since plans for the separation of V/Line and Metro tracks were drawn up that the authority had agreed to meet with the committee. “We raised that the community didn’t want three kilometres of noise walls. The biggest issue with this project is that noise mitigation was never part of their scope of works; it was never budgeted for.”
A Brimbank Council submission to a draft noise policy urged the state government to address noise that will be experienced by residents along the corridor. The council asked that a comprehensive noise assessment be undertaken immediately for the $5 billion project, expected to be completed by 2016.
Ardeer resident Douglas Blyth said RRL’s proposed sound barriers would cut Ardeer off from the rest of Brimbank. He called for a train underpass to be built to reduce the noise and pollution impact on surrounding streets.
An RRL spokesman said considerable community consultation had been carried out in the area, but the RRL would examine the group’s proposal and prepare a response. Residents will rally at Ardeer train station in Forrest Street this Saturday from 1pm. —Melissa Cunningham
