Managing noise fact sheet – December 2024

The facility will be used to maintain, clean and stable the trams, and will also house the tram operations and administration staff.

Tram stabling is where trams are parked while not in operation.

To keep Melbourne’s tram network running safely and reliably, the facility will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The facility will have potential capacity for up to 60 trams to be parked there, and will be a maintenance base for the new G Class fleet. Trams will access the facility during the day and night via Hampstead Road.

The project has adopted a preventative approach to managing potential noise.

The facility has been designed to minimise any potential noise impact; and will manage most noises at the source, where possible.

While the facility will operate around the clock, most noise generating activities are expected to occur during the day inside the administration and maintenance building.

Located away from properties, the administration and maintenance building will be used for tram inspections, repairs and major tram maintenance to service the fleet.

To keep noise contained we’ve constructed the maintenance building workshop using special noise-reducing materials for walls and doors.

To further reduce noise the doors that trams will use to enter the maintenance building have been built to face away from properties.

We’ve also designed the facility to keep machinery for operations away from residences with the tram wash and sanding station located towards the centre of the facility.

To further minimise noise from the facility we’re installing high quality noise walls along the northern, southern and western boundaries.

These measures will significantly reduce noise from the facility for nearby residents, including from trams returning to and moving around the facility at night.

Noise mitigation

During planning we undertook extensive noise modelling in different locations around the project area.

These results helped inform the design of the facility.

During operations there will be noise generated at different locations at the facility associated with:

• trams moving around the yard, including tram bells
• brake testing on the test track
• trams being cleaned and washed
• trams starting before and shutting down after service
• trams being filled with sand at the sanding station
• deliveries and maintenance activities

Noise modelling helped us to understand what types of noise management measures are required and their locations. These results helped inform the design of the facility.

We’re also installing high quality noise walls along the site boundaries to help minimise noise from the facility for nearby properties.

To serve Melbourne’s tram network, during the night-time trams will return to the facility approximately an hour after the last service ends and will move around the stabling yard.

The G Class trams will leave the facility early in the morning, approximately an hour before the first tram service starts.

Expected noise levels from these tram movements at night will be reduced due to the design of noise walls. After trams have returned from service, late night tram and vehicle movements and deliveries will be limited, except if needed in an emergency.

Our noise modelling and assessments indicate that noise levels at night will be comparable to noise from a typical suburban residential area.

In addition, the facility’s designs will comply with all Environment Protection Authority (EPA) guidelines and relevant noise policies and legislation.

Key features of the facility

• Stabling for up to 60 next-generation G Class trams
• Tram cleaning facilities
• A track for testing trams
• Administration and maintenance building
• Car and bike parking for drivers and employees

Noise walls

The noise walls will vary in height depending on their location and will be set back from our property boundaries on our side of the fence to prevent overshadowing.

Along the western boundary of the facility, behind Lomandra and Myrtle drives, the noise wall will be 7 metres high and set back 8 metres from the existing fence line.

Behind Cedar Drive the noise wall will be 6 metres high, one metre higher than our initial designs, and will be set back 8.5 metres from the existing fence line.

From Lightwood Way along a section of the southern perimeter of the site, the noise wall will be 6 metres high, one metre higher than our initial designs, and will be set back 3.4 metres.

These height increases have been informed by noise modelling conducted on site and ensure the walls align with EPA requirements.

The noise walls have been designed to protect privacy, reduce noise and provide an attractive outlook.

The design uses a base made of recycled textured plastic up to 3 metres tall, featuring a saw-toothed pattern which reflects the area’s industrial past.

Clear acrylic panels on top will allow light to pass through.

We’ll plant a range of trees, shrubs and native grasses as landscaping between the noise walls and property boundaries, to provide natural screening.

Plant species will be selected to suit the conditions of the area.

Due to major underground assets in the area behind properties along Cedar Drive and the along southern boundary, we are restricted to planting smaller shrubs and grasses in these areas.

All of these landscaped areas between the noise walls and the boundary

fences will be maintained by the facility operator and will be secured behind fencing along the perimeter of the site.

Keeping in touch

• To stay up to date on the Maidstone tram maintenance and stabling facility:
• Visit our project page and sign up for email updates
• If you have any questions please email the team at MaidstoneTMF@transport.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window)
• Call 1800 105 105 any time
• For languages other than English call 9209 0147

Sign up for SMS updates

To sign up for SMS updates text MAIDSTONE to 0428 581 917