Residents along Glossop Street in St Marys are no strangers to traffic congestion, but they have become fed up with the increased truck activity that rattles their walls.
Merv Davis has lived in his home on Glossop Street for over 40 years and Jeremy Sidoruk has lived across the road for the past 12.
In 2023, ACFS Logistics was approved by the then Department of Planning and Environment to operate in St Marys off Lee Holm Road and Forresters Road as a 24/7 container storage logistics operator.
Since ACFS Logistics began operation, trucks use Glossop Street as a major thoroughfare into the site, as outlined in the Draft Operational Traffic Access Management Plan for the site.
Since late last year both Sidoruk and Davis have noticed a steep increase in the number of trucks coming along Glossop Street, saying it vibrates their houses.
“We noticed just before Christmas the trucks increasing,” Sidoruk said.
“What’s really happened is the road has degraded out there with the trucks passing.
“The impact that it’s had on us particularly is that even if we put double glazed windows in, it’s the vibration of the house, bookcases vibrate through the house. My mother-in-law’s bed vibrates.”
Davis explained both the exterior and interior of his house has become damaged due to the increased volume of trucks passing by.
“Our ones a little bit worse because our house is older and on brick piers,” Davis said.
“We can hear the trucks coming from probably 100 metres down the road, the vibration of them gets heavier and the clunk, clunk, clunk and then a massive clunk at the end there.
“You can feel the house move. If you’re in bed, the bed actually moves.
“The chimney on my place has actually moved out further to what it was and now because it’s moved out, we’ve got a crack in the internal wall.”
In the Draft Operational Traffic Access Management Plan compiled on behalf of ACFS Logistics it was noted there would be an expected 272 truck movements per day along Glossop Street.
“This road’s at capacity with the development from the Council and you’re sticking another 272 trucks on it, not just small trucks but A-double trucks, 29 metre trucks,” Sidoruk said.
“Just to try to cross the road now you take your life into your own hands.”
Penrith City Council confirmed it undertakes monitoring of the road condition on Glossop Street.
“Council undertakes regular monitoring of heavy vehicle routes as pavement conditions can change as heavy vehicle patterns increase or decrease,” a spokesperson said.
“The pavements of Forrester Road and Glossop Street are in very good condition as per a recent inspection.”
ACFS Logistics was contacted for comment regarding Sidoruk and Davis’s concerns but did not respond by time of publication.
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.