A PUSH from Marine Terrace residents for an overnight curfew on trains entering Fremantle port has provoked a strong response.
Following our report last week on residents wanting an 11pm to 7am ban, so they can get relief from squealing trains and klaxons, our website was inundated with folk accusing inner-city locals of being first-world whiners whose complaints would result in more truck freight.
“Buy a house near a train line you get train noise. Solution — don’t buy a house near a train line,” posted Brian.
“Bloody hell. The freight line was there long before a lot of these residents even bought or built their houses and it’s also part of the Australian constitution to have both narrow and standard gauge rail access to the port!” posted Neil.
“Move, idiots!” posted Squinty.
Today Tonight smelled blood and, after contacting the Herald, ran a story on the issue Wednesday night.
Marine Terrace resident Paul McGovern says he does not accept the, “you bought a house beside a train line, so what did you expect” argument.
“Imagine you bought a house beside a pub and they turned it into a 24/7 casino,” he counters.
“That is what is happening here. This has only become an issue in the past three years as the number and frequency of night trains has sky-rocketed.
“We’re only asking for the operators to abide by best practices. And for the record, I’m not in favour of the Perth freight link.”
Mr McGovern adds around 30 people, including state Labor MP Simone McGurk, attended last Saturday’s meeting about the curfew.
“We had people from as far as Bibra Lake attend,” he says.
“We are forming a small group with Simone to meet with stakeholders in May.”
Ms McGurk supports eliminating the trains’ squealing—a long running maintenance issue—but is not in favour of a curfew.
by STEPHEN POLLOCK
It never ceases to amaze me, the complete lack of empathy people have for their neighbours and normally they don’t have facts of the situation their 1st response is just to attack and attack.
It real has become a 21st century attitude no discussion just verbal attacks, insults and name calling, even sadder generally from one who say others need to have more tolerance.
It certainly seems to a Fremantle thing just to attack people for having an opinion as it may differ from a noisy few sadly again these groups aren’t seemingly the majority just the aggressive noisy minority with no tolerance for others views or even a discussion to hear them.
Just name calling and bully tactics