PEOPLE living near a big new port on Southampton Water would be unlikely to lose any sleep because of the noise coming from it, a public inquiry has been told.

But the inquiry into Associated British Ports' plans for a new container terminal between Hythe and Marchwood at Dibden Bay did hear that there was likely to be some disturbance.

Under cross-examination from ABP counsel Martin Kingston, sound consultant Robert Davis agreed that he was not giving evidence to suggest that the noise of the night-time operations would be loud enough or intrusive enough to keep people awake.

But he added: "That does not necessarily make them (the noises) acceptable or of good standards."

In pressing the point, Mr Kingston insisted: "In relation to terminal operations, there is no evidence that any of the terminal operations would produce noise values which would cause sleep disturbance, is there?"

Mr Davis said: "There is not."

Mr Kingston also took issue over the question of disturbance which would be caused by trains going in and out of the bay at night.

"It seems to me," Mr Davis had told the inquiry, "that the addition of 28 freight train movements between 2300 and 0700 hours on a line which currently carries no regular night traffic, is almost certain to cause disturbance at houses close to the line, irrespective of the resulting change in the noise level averaged over eight hours."

Mr Davis suggested that there was justification for measures to reduce the amount of noise from the railway approaches to the port if it went ahead.

He was then asked by Mr Kingston if he was suggesting that the rail noise constituted sufficient grounds for the Secretary of State for Transport (at present Alistair Darling) to refuse to grant permission for the scheme to go ahead.

"It's not up to me to say that. I am observing the adverse impact, but I cannot say whether that justifies refusal or the imposition of conditions."