Napier Port threatened with court action over 187% traffic increase

Noise from trucks going to and from Napier Port is leading residents to take the Port to the Environment Court. Photo / File

Traffic going to and from Napier Port is set to increase 187 per cent over the next eight years, prompting residents to threaten to take it to the Environment Court.

Ken Crispin, spokesperson for the Citizens Environment Advocacy Centre (CEAC), said the increase would mostly amount to more trucks on Napier's roads.

It had decided an Environment Court challenge, which it could also bring against regional council and the NZ Transport Agency, was now necessary.

"We asked them [Napier Port] what are you doing to mitigate for all the people who live on affected roads.

"The port said, in their report, they don't have to care, it's not their responsibility.

"We've decided to go ahead and proceed towards the Environment Court because unfortunately what's happening here is the Port is not listening to the people."

He said the system of measuring noise in New Zealand needed to change, as the current system, called dBA, measures mainly high frequency noise, but trucks emit a low frequency noise.

"We've gone from Church Rd to Westshore to Bayview to Whirinaki to Meanee Rd, everywhere round the city, and we've found horrific amounts of noise.

"It's so loud it vibrates in the houses."

He thinks New Zealand should use a system called dBC which measures low frequency, as using this system constantly shows a 10 decibel difference to dBA.

He said he knew of people who had to sleep with the radio on and ear plugs in, and in one case, of a household forced to move out due to the noise of Hawke's Bay trucks.

Napier Port's CEO Todd Dawson said it was projecting an increase in traffic of 187 per cent over the next eight years.

"Napier Port works closely with its neighbours through a Noise Liaison Committee that was established in 2008 to discuss issues relating to noise generated by Napier Port operations.

"The committee includes representatives of community group Seascape, neighbours, port users and Napier Port representatives."

"Working alongside this group, Napier Port has established a Noise Mitigation Programme which identified homes which receive more than 60 decibels of noise originating from Napier Port operations."

"In October 2017, Napier Port offered to install air-conditioning and double glazing in 22 homes. Twelve homeowners took up the offer, including homes on Breakwater Rd. Mitigation on those homes is almost complete with over-whelming positive feedback."