www.2loud.net.au

Deakin University have developed an iPhone application at the request of Boroondara Council who are working with several community groups fighting for freeway noise protection.

You can register to be involved on www.2loud.net.au.  (There seems to be some restriction on registering at the moment unless you live on a street bordering the freeway – hopefully this will widen shortly).

2Loud? is a research project with the aim of developing and testing a mobile phone application to allow community to monitor traffic noise in their environment, with focus on the night period and indoors measurement. Individuals, using mobile phones, inform characteristics of their dwellings and systematically record the level of noise inside their homes overnight. The records from multiple individuals are sent to a server, integrated into indicators and shared through mapping.

For those in Balwyn North, please spread the word about the website and let your neighbours know.

(Note: there is only an iPhone or iPad app; there is not an Android app at this time).

Freeway noise study

From an article in the Progress Leader today:

"BOROONDARA Council will fund a study into the social and economic effects of freeway traffic noise on nearby residents. The funding has been welcomed by residents’ groups angry about ‘‘atrocious’’ noise levels near the Monash and Eastern freeways..."


Read the full article here: Freeway noise study

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Noise drives protest

From an article in the Progress Leader today:

"RESIDENT groups against noise along the Eastern Freeway are threatening a class action and demanding an independent study to investigate what they describe as atrocious noise levels..."

Read the full article here: Noise drives protest

(...and you'll find our extensive collection of links on our website...)

(...and our 'BNFNG Releases' here...)

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Update 2 August 2011

• Unfortunately, there is no positive news for members of our group since our meeting with Ministers Rob Clark and Andrew McIntosh on 14 April 2011.
  


• Letters were sent to to Terry Mulder and Ryan Smith (State Ministers) in early June '11 requesting a meeting regarding truck noise - Minister Mulder has not responded, whilst Minister Smith advised it was not his area of responsibility. (This is concerning, as he is Minister for the Environment).
  
  
• There is an article in 'The Age' today (2/8/11, on p.3) regarding the possibility of additional vehicles lanes on our section of the freeway by utilising the emergency lanes.


• Boroondara Council is having a meeting on 16 August '11 to discuss the freeway noise issue within Boroondara. Representatives from the various groups representing residents on this matter are attending (five attendees from BNFNG).

(...and see all of the links to relevant media items) on the BNFNG website...)

Meeting - 14 April 2011

From Mary at BNFNG:

On 14 April 2011, BNFNG (represented by Mary Harnan, Ben Dawson & Barry Watson) met with Robert Clark MP (Victorian Attorney-General & Minister for Finance) and Andrew McIntosh MP (Victorian Minister for Corrections). Also present were James Copsey (Assistant Adviser, Office of the Attorney-General) and Boroondara Councillor Brad Miles.

The Minutes of the meeting can be read on the BNFNG website. In summary:

• Rob Clark and Andrew McIntosh will follow up the $100,000,000 allocated by the previous government and lobby for funding for noise treatments for Balwyn North residents and explore options for solutions to the noise problem.
• Rob Clark will also investigate the 1992 broken promise with regard to completing the promised noise attenuation measures (i.e. continuous dirt mounds with wooden fences on top).
• BNFNG to write to the Minister for Transport and Minister for Environment regarding the banning of truck engine brakes at night on the Eastern Freeway, night time truck speed restriction and issues regarding trucks using Rosanna Road as a shortcut between the Eastern Freeway and the Ring Road when there is currently a continuous freeway (Monash) route they can use (and previously used) to reach the Ring Road and thus the Hume Highway.
• Rob Clark and Andrew McIntosh to explore the North East Link plans with Nick Kotsiras.
• Rob Clark to find out more about Doncaster rail link to ensure Balwyn North community is involved and considered in this development.
• Rob Clark to find out who is responsible for SEPP Noise Policy and what has happened to the 2002 Draft Noise Policy.


[Stay tuned… ! ! ]

Status - March 2011

Representatives will be meeting with Rob Clark MP and Andrew McIntosh MP (State representatives for the Balwy North area) on 14 April 2011.

The issues we will be focussing on:

• Noise attenuation measures for older sections of freeway (e.g. Balwyn North) from the current available budget allocation
• Development of a fair and consistent State policy re protecting communities from freeway noise
• A night time noise policy
• Proposed North East Link
• Proposed Doncaster Rail Link

We will update members of BNFNG after the meeting.

Our mayor, Nick Tragas, is also pursuing discussions on our behalf with Terry Mulder MP (Transport Minister).

A new community group requires your support - Friends of Koonung Creek Reserve - you can contact them by emailing friendskcr@hotmail.com

Current Status

From Mary at BNFNG:

• I attended the Kooyong Community Forum on Thursday 9 Dec held by our Federal MP, Josh Frydenberg. Several members of BNFNG attended and we had the opportunity to speak with Andrew McIntosh (Kew MP & now State Minister), Josh Frydenberg and Nick Tragas (the new Boroondara Mayor). Discussions were very positive - and I was very impressed by Josh's commitment to the people he represents.
• Congratulations to both Andrew & Robert Clarke MP on their appointments to the State cabinet.
• Congratulations to Nick Tragas on his appointment as Mayor.
• Congratulations to both our councillor Brad Miles, elected as Chair of Services Special Committee, and to Councillor Phillip Healey, Studley Ward, elected as Chair of Urban Planning Committee (who has been a long-time supporter of BNFNG) on their appointments.
• We are hoping to meet with Rob Clarke (now State's Attorney-General) in late January/February to discuss a solution to our issue, better protection for all Victorian communities via a better and more consistent measurement standard, having an authority other than VicRoads protecting communities, night time policy, and the ramifications for Balwyn North, Kew and Bulleen of the proposed North East Link.

Rally 21 November 2010

On a sunny Sunday morning 150 dedicated and passionate people attended our Community Rally. Thank you to all those who were able to attend.

Special thanks to -

• our Mayor Jack Wegman and councillors - Brad Miles, Coral Ross, Phillip Healey and Nick Tragas who attended, for their ongoing support & for working most of the morning as MC's or cooking sausages, etc
• representives from all the political parties for our area, particularly Rob Clarke MP and Andrew McIntosh MP for their ongoing support and encouragement
• the amazing Deb Ganderton from our council and her team
• Eileen, Ken, Sean, Barbara, Lorri and their families from Balwyn North who assisted with delivering brochures
• Chanmali Tregambe from CPR who was the main organiser of the event
• Councillors Phillip Healey and Coral Ross for their BBQ skills
• Maria of Kawarren Street for cutting all those onions
• (edit by BNFNG: ...and some photographs from the event can be seen on our website )
• (edit by BNFNG: ...and a short video presentation of the event can be found here )

We will not stop until we get noise protection for our community - no matter how long it takes!
But at least our voice is being heard:

• We had a "mention" in The Age last Sunday (edit by BNFNG: click here for the article from The Age on Monday 22/11/10 - see the last three paragraphs...)
• Mary H had 5 minutes on MTR radio on Monday morning speaking with Steve Price regarding how the noise affects our community, issue with trucks particularly at night & air brakes and re allocation of funds - we hope that Steve will question Tim Pallas when he speaks with him this week, particularly regarding the allocation of funding for noise barriers which seems to be directed only to labor electorates.
• We expect some coverage in next week's Progress Leader.

I will attach some of the notes from my address at the rally in the next few days. (edit by BNFNG: click here for the transcript of Mary's speech )

Interesting information on the Eastlink/Connecteast website - 13,000 noise wall panels were erected along Eastlink. How frustrating it is for us - we can't even get 1!!!

Watch this space for our next steps...

Community Rally

Calling all Balwyn Northers to attend this rally !

We need to demonstrate that freeway noise & pollution are a major issue for our community, in our homes and in our reserve.

This is YOUR opportunity and unless we demonstrate this, there may not be another one.

Please attend with your family & friends...

...and see the Nov 9 Progress Leader article "Clamour over noise"

"An Election Message for Box Hill North and Balwyn North Voters" - from Friends of Banyule

Local residents will have received a flyer in their letterboxes from the Friends of Banyule (a community organisation with similar concerns regarding freeway-related issues).

Entitled "An Election Message for Box Hill North and Balwyn North Voters", it provides interesting insights into relevant issues for the upcoming state election. (Don't forget to vote on Saturday 27 November 2010).

If you didn't receive the flyer, it can be viewed here.

[From Mary of BNFNG:

Please note that this leaflet was not produced in consultation with the BNFNG, so please direct any queries to those mentioned in the leaflet.

Although members of our community may be members of Friends of Banyule and support the main content of the leaflet, BNFNG's focus is purely on alleviating the freeway noise and pollution currently experienced in the Balwyn North community.

We have no political affiliations, we seek a consistent state policy for the benefit of all communities.

With regard to the rail to Doncaster, BNFNG has had no discussions to formulate a community view - however, I foresee concern that there is insufficient room in the freeway reserve for either the rail extension or the North East Link. This has implications for our Koonung Creek reserve.]

Current Status (updated October 2010)

• Over 600 people attended the meeting on 6 October 2010 at The Centre in Ivanhoe to discuss North East Link. Congratulations to the team at Friends of Banyule on a very informative and well run event.
• One of our members is raising our issue with the Hawthorn ALP branch (thanks Peter).
• Email to Rob Clarke MP (State representative) on 14/9/10 re North East Link and our current situation. Rob is well aware of our plight and has already responded.
• Met with two council officers in the Reserve in mid October 2010 to get our request for a noticeboard underway.
• Letter to Josh Frydenberg (Federal Member for Kooyong) of 18/8/10 - telephone response from Josh's office on 20/9/10 - they will look into further (possibly liaising with Rob Clarke's office) and get back to us. Mary H is meeting with Josh Frydenberg on 1/12/10 to discuss our issue and any scope for assistance at the Federal level.
• * Letter sent to Victorian Ombudsman * on 20/9/10 (and subsequent information provided in late October) regarding lack of State policy to protect the health and safety of Victorians and their environment from freeway noise and pollution, particularly with regard to lack of interest/action from EPA and lack of night-time noise policy. Further contact from Ombudsman's office in mid-November who are looking into the VicRoads Policy and transparency of funds allocated.

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT FORUMS

The Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF), of which the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is an associate member, is holding public transport forums in various areas around Melbourne in the lead-up to November’s state election.

The forums will feature speakers from all the major parties and questions from the community.

Six forums are planned so far, including at the Box Hill Town Hall on 30 August (with Robert Clark, MLA Box Hill): details can be found here.