About
The Waverton Wollstonecraft Rail Noise Action Group (WWRNAG) is an informal group of residents affected by rail noise. The noise we suffer is far above the licence limits set by the NSW Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and over 250 times higher than the World Health Organisation Limits for the protection of health.
We live next to the tightest bends in the Sydney Rail Network in one of the highest density residential areas in Sydney. The individual tracks here have more traffic than any other single line in the network, and the trains make more noise.
In fact, the EPA has rated our area as the worst rail noise affected area in the suburban network.
We have been active in addressing a wide range of rail noise issues for over 10 years and you can follow this link to see some of what we have achieved already.
Here's a website version — a bit more detail than the Facebook post, organised for easy scanning:
Update: Meeting with Sydney Trains & EPA — August 2026
WWRNAG met with Sydney Trains and the EPA this month for our first full briefing in three years. Here's a summary of what was covered.
Low-height noise barriers: not proceeding, for now
Sydney Trains commissioned an independent study (by GHD) into low-height noise barriers along the Waverton–Wollstonecraft corridor. The results showed that while some residents would benefit, fewer than half would achieve what the guidelines consider a "reasonable" noise reduction (5dB), and Sydney Trains has assessed the ongoing maintenance and operational costs as too high to justify proceeding.
We challenged several aspects of this conclusion on the day — including why lighter, more easily moved barrier alternatives were ruled out early, whether the estimated $77–96 million lifecycle cost is really material against Transport for NSW's multi-billion-dollar annual budget, and why residents weren't consulted as stakeholders in the study. We've requested the full report and the underlying noise modelling for our specific locations so we can compare it against our own long-running noise measurements.
ELPA lubrication trial starting
A trial of a new rail lubrication product (ELPA) is starting on the down track between Waverton and Wollstonecraft, beginning with rail grinding in late August 2026 and running through to January 2027. The trial aims for a 50% reduction in wheel squeal/flanging events and a 3dB reduction in average noise. If successful, it could be extended along the whole Waverton–St Leonards corridor.
We raised the lack of a defined long-term noise target, and the risk that overnight service curfews will continue to shrink as pressure grows for 24/7 running.
Ongoing track maintenance
Further rail grinding is scheduled for the North Shore line, along with re-railing works in January 2027. A new-generation rail grinding train — offering better control and real-time quality data — is being commissioned in early 2027.
What happens next
We pushed hard for better, more regular communication after years of silence. Sydney Trains and the EPA have agreed to:
- Provide an interim written update around March 2027, once early trial results are available
- Hold a full briefing meeting in around 12 months
- Share a schedule of upcoming milestones over the next 6–8 months so we can track progress
- Notify us of any delays or developments as they happen, so we can keep the community informed here and on Facebook
We'll continue to advocate for meaningful, measurable noise reduction targets and will post updates as we receive them.
This is the full meeting summary