Dear fellow residents and business owners on the Melbourne 55 tram route,

From January 1st, Yarra Trams will begin a 24hr weekend service, which will mark the end of a good night's sleep for many of us on most of this route.

This is due to the current tracks being almost 10 years old and the welded joins being so badly broken that, particularly on the Grantham St section, each tram passes with a series of wall-shaking bangs that we have measured up to 90dB in volume. This is almost as loud as a jackhammer at close proximity. Certainly louder than any average power tools.

Builders and homeowners are not allowed to use power tools outside of normal daytime working hours, and face substantial fines if caught doing so. What Yarra Trams will be doing is the equivalent to digging up the road with a jackhammer ALL WEEKEND including Sunday, breaking any peace and quiet that we could possibly hope for.

It's bad enough that the noise currently starts at 5.20am and carries though to past midnight. Now it will be ALL NIGHT LONG.

Of course, Melbourne needs mass public transport and it should be supported and encouraged, expanded and improved, but the noise created by a passing tram should be no more than that of a passing car. Only the tracks need to be repaired for this to happen, but Yarra Trams have resisted spending the money for years, letting the state of the tracks deteriorate further and further, despite repeated requests from residents to do their duty and fulfil their contracted obligation to keep the network in a good state of repair.

In implementing this BEFORE the faulty lines are repaired, Yarra Trams are in contravention of EPA rules on noise pollution and it will be detrimental to all living in close proximity to the 55 tram line.

Disturbed sleep, low frequency vibrations, infants and children unable to develop good cognitive function because of sleep deprivation, work problems, relationship problems, issues at school ... all will result from this illegal activity.

YARRA TRAMS - in knowingly contravening noise pollution legislation, you are committing a criminal act. Stop now before you open yourself up to a class action lawsuit.