Rang David Smith at VicRoads and had heated discussion with him. My contention, as it has been since day one, is that the noise has got worse since they upgraded the barriers. He says that the numbers prove that it is no worse and that they will go to MPs first and then made generally available. I do not believe any numbers quoted by VicRoads for 3 reasons

1. They made tests during early December and promised that the results would be available by Christmas. Just before Christmas received a letter stating that the results had been delayed (by weather or sme such feeble excuse) and would be available by end of January. It is now end of February and we have not seen anything. Why have they lied to us? Is it because the numbers don't show what they want?
2. The only post-testing I have seen is the microphone that was placed outside my window for a few days and testing for a couple of hours in Basil St. This means that their other testing was done over a very short period which is not representative.
3. One lady in Thornbury Crescent was told by a VicRoads staff member that he regretted that no testing was done before the barriers were upgraded.

Based on these reasons I do not believe that VicRoads will publish numbers that are representative of the true situation. They will only publish something that will justify their expenditure of public money, even if it is not true!

Rang Michael O'Brien to find out what he is doing an why he has been so quiet. Only spoke to casual who took my details and promised that someone would get back to me.

Have received no response from Michael O'Brien to my email sent to him on the 6th of February.

David Smith of VicRoads rang in response to the letter, basically to say there is nothing that VicRoads can do. Their numbers show that there was a slight improvement. Do not believe this based on their past history. They promised to have the results by Christmas last but then sent a letter making the excuse that the weather prevented them completing their tests. Then they said that they would have them by end of January. Then the resident from Thornbury Crescent who was told by VicRoads that not previous testing was done! Can we believe anything VicRoads say?

Sent the following email to Michael O'Brien with a cc to Gary Liddle. Hope this speeds thing up.

We the residents next to the freeway in East Malvern are becoming fed up with VicRoads’ inactivity regarding the increased noise they have caused with their upgrade of the noise barriers.

We are yet to see the results of the noise testing which was carried out last year despite promises by VicRoads that they would be available by now.  In fact one resident was told by VicRoads that no testing was carried out beforehand!  How is this possible?

We have sent letters to Gary Liddle from numerous residents complaining about the increased noise and he has yet to have the courtesy to reply.  Instead we received one letter (which I sent to you on December 5^th 2012) from a Bruce Gidley which I regard as insulting.  VicRoads are treating us with contempt.

Why was so much public money spent by VicRoads on a system that has made the situation worse and is impacting on the residents’ quality of life?  Why are they now ignoring the feedback from the residents?  The whole way this matter has been handled by VicRoads suggests either incompetence or dare I say worse on their behalf.

We demand that VicRoads improve the situation or we will be forced to take the matter to the press and have it played out in public.