City of Melbourne noise complaints on the increase
Melbourne is getting noisier, according to the number of complaints received by the City of Melbourne.
Total noise complaints were up from 763 in 2009 to 800 last year as commercial waste collection, entertainment and street cleaning irritated residents.
Complaints about commercial waste collection more than doubled to 97 in 2010, from 45 the previous year.
Street cleaning received 38 noise complaints last year, well above the 22 complaints in 2009.
Music and entertainment complaints (including complaints about excessive noise from venues and patrons leaving venues) rose to 114 in 2010.
This was up from 90 in 2009, but well below the 2006 record of 155 complaints.
There were modest increases in complaints about construction noise and barking dogs.
The big improvement was regarding buskers and spruikers, where complaints fell from 162 in 2009 to 109 last year.
The council’s eco-city committee chair Cathy Oke said noise complaints fluctuated and the council was not sure why noise complaints rose in 2010.
Cr Oke said the council had taken action on noise from waste collection by introducing a new law in July 2010 which banned late-night collection of waste in specific areas of the inner city.
“These areas aim to balance the need to collect rubbish from busy parts of the inner city with the desire of residents for a good night’s sleep,” Cr Oke said.
Maureen Capp, of inner city residents’ group Residents’ Rights, said the group had no serious concerns regarding noise.
Source: http://melbourne-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/melbourne-noise-complaints-on-the-increase/
