Well the meeting was cancelled, and now I’ve been told by both the Evening Star and one of the councillors that the meeting between the council and the Noise Action Group is back on.

There will also be a meeting between Southern Cement and councillors.  Of course what would be best for both sides would be to meet directly, Southern Cement and the Noise Action Group.

So Uniland / Southern Cement, if you want to meet us then you can reach us at james@bridgeward.org.uk or through your usual channels of communication.  Email us, even if you’re not ready yet, even if you want to explain us why you’re not ready yet.

We’re quite nice really, especially when we’ve had a night’s sleep.

If you live near Wherstead Road, or even further away, then you will be aware that Ipswich docks have become noisier recently.  Some people have compared it to living next to a nightclub while others have said it’s like having the washing machine on, all night.

The culprit is a cement ship used by Southern Cement, and this noise, which people have likened to a continuous howl, has been going on continuously.

This is pollution, as certainly as if cement dust was blown over Stoke Park.  While no-one denies that Ipswich needs a thriving port, we need to ask a few questions:

1)  Why does this work need to be carried on at night? 

2)  Why aren’t sufficient measures being taken to lower the noise?

3)  Why is the noise reaching people in places like the Hayes and even Pinewood?

If you have had any issues with this then you are not alone.  A noise abatement group has been set up to deal with this issue.  They need reports from people who have suffered and they will also need help with leafletting and other elements of the campaign to bring this noise down to a tolerable level.

If you have had problems with night time noise that you think may be from the port then please email me on james@bridgeward.org.uk and I will pass on any emails I get to the organisers of the noise abatement group.