RESIDENTS living along the stretch of land between Deer Park and Werribee’s west slated for the Regional Rail Link are unfazed by a new report finding they would face excessive noise from the high-speed trains.
Instead, Wyndham residents groups eagerly await the 2016 completion date for the $5.3 billion rail line, set to benefit commuters by providing a quicker V/Line link to the Melbourne CBD and Geelong, and to free up track space on the Werribee suburban line.
An advisory report into stage two of the project found noise mitigation plans for the 30-kilometre stretch of track, covering Manor Lakes, Wyndham Vale and Tarneit, were “extremely limited” and an “inadequate response to the anticipated levels of noise”.
The report stated new houses would border up to half the stretch of track. Planning minister Matthew Guy has directed the Regional Rail Link Authority to develop a new noise plan by March.
“While already there is some limited housing abutting the project area … it is proposed that, within a few decades, along perhaps half of its length, there will be thousands more nearby dwellings,” it stated. But after successfully lobbying the previous Labor state government to commit to a full-depth underground cutting beneath Manor Lakes, residents of the suburb say noise won’t be an issue, and the state government wouldn’t need to acquire land owned by local schools.
In 2010 Manor Lakes Residents Association launched a campaign calling for the cutting which culminated with a petition of more than 4500 signatures being tabled in parliament.
“An overpass would’ve gone down Manor Lakes Boulevard and would’ve taken away from the area, cutting into school ground, and residents wouldn’t have been able to get into their homes,” the group’s Cedric Young said.
“The Regional Rail Link will be a big improvement for our area.
“Right now so many people are driving to Werribee to train to the city every morning, and parking at the station.”
Tarneit North Residents Association’s Shawn Lynch said noise abatement measures for houses that will abutt the rail link were not an immediate concern.
“It’s pretty much empty land right now, so noise will be an issue eventually, but it’ll be a few years until there’s enough housing there.
“The big benefit is that all those cars jamming Leakes and Sayers roads every morning … half of them will soon be taking the train.”
