Sent the following email to Michael O'Brien with a cc to David Smith if VicRoads. Have received no reply from Michael O'Brien.

Dear Michael,

Just to let you know that I received a telephone call from David Smith at VicRoads on Wednesday 16th  January. In that phone call he informed me among other things that remedial work on the upgraded barriers had been completed and all gaps had been filled.

I did a quick inspection of the barriers this morning and noticed that the gaps in the barriers still exist and some of the newly installed flashing had come unfixed leaving further gaps. Why are VicRoads telling us they did things when they plainly did not? Also, why are they happy with substandard workmanship?

Our complaints are genuine. Are VicRoads taking them seriously or only paying lip service to them?

We hope that you can assist because we as residents are becoming fed up with the noise and demand some immediate improvement.

He also informed me that the results of the noise measurement should be available next week.

Received phone call from David Smith of VicRoads this morning. He reported the following

• Remedial work on the upgraded barriers has been completed. This has included filling of gaps and moving dirt around. I have not noticed any difference and more importantly no improvement.
• VicRoads have spoken with the manufacturers of the new barriers and they are quite happy that the installation was done properly. I can only conclude from this that VicRoads has been had!
• Should get the results of the noise level testing in the next week (provided there are no hold ups e.g. the weather). I will bet now what the results of the test will be - no action will be taken by VicRoads!

Told him once more that we are not happy with the work and want it fixed.

Received the following letter from VicRoads. We will wait for their follow up letter to see what it contains.

Received the following letter from VicRoads.

Cannot remember any "weather events". Are VicRoads just putting us off or are the test results not showing what they want them to show so they are stalling?

Michael O'Brien responded to my email with the following

Dear Chris,

As I understand the letter, it is making the point that the measured noise
levels (before the recent works) in your area are not in excess of the
VicRoads decibel limit for which additional noise works are required.

That is to say, the recent works were done purely as a trial and not
because your area's noise levels meet the threshold for required
enhancements under the state noise attenuation policy.

I read the letter to say that the before and after noise measurements will
be used to determine whether the recently performed works remain, or are
modified in some way.

That is, I believe that what you understand to mean "the existing noise
barriers" as including the recent works is different to what VicRoads
intends (being the original works prior to the recent modifications).

As a consequence, I understand that VicRoads will be guided by the before
and after noise measurements in determining the future of the recent works
- as we previously discussed.

I trust this assists.

His response totally ignores the point I was trying to make. It's like watching a politician being interviewed on TV where he is asked one question and gives his answer about completely unrelated!

Received a letter from VicRoads yesterday, see below

 

I found the tone of the letter totally offensive with its implication that we could be treated as second class citizens by VicRoads and used as guinea pigs for their trials. Have written the following letter to Michael O'Brien to bring the letter to his attention.

Dear Michael,

Thank you for the update. I was hoping not to have reason to contact you
until the results of the monitoring were available, but I received a
letter from VicRoads yesterday which I thought I should bring to your
attention. A copy of the letter is attached.

In particular I draw your attention to the third paragraph which states
that the residences in this area "do not warrant further modification to
the existing noise barriers" and therefore we were chosen as trial sites.
The implication of this is that the quality of life of the residents here
does not matter and we are to be treated like second class citizens. Also,
that we can be used as guinea pigs for VicRoads experiments. This attitude
is intolerable and offensive.

I should say that I have shown this letter to other residents and their
reactions were   equally outraged.

I appreciate what you are doing on our behalf but I fear that the attitude
expressed in the attached letter means that VicRoads do not take the
inconvenience they have caused , nor our concerns, seriously.

I look forward to your response.

Your sincerely

Don't know if it was the email I sent to Michael O'Brien and Gary Liddle yesterday but some activity at last! An acoustic engineer turned up this evening to put a noise monitor at my front window. It along with nine other in streets in the area will stay in place until Saturday to measure the noise. Hopefully these monitors will prove what we all have noticed - that the noise levels have increased. They will compare these results with measurements they took in march.