Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland: impact assessments 2026
A report detailing the screening exercises undertaken for required impact assessments for the publication of the Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland.
4. Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment for the Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland: Round 4 (2026)
Title of policy/practice/ strategy/legislation etc:
Agglomeration Noise Action Plan for Scotland
Lead Minister: Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
Lead official: Phil Leeks
Directorate: Enfor
Division: Environmental Quality and Resilience Division
Team: Environmental Protection Team
Stage 1 – Planning
- What is the aim of your policy/strategy/plan?
- Who will it affect (particular groups/businesses/geographies etc)?
- What outcomes do you expect the policy/strategy/plan to deliver?
The Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland: Round 4 (2026), sets out actions for the Scottish Government and local authorities to support noise management within five specified agglomerations, with a focus on potential areas of high noise levels (e.g. from road and rail sources).
The Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland, covers five agglomerations in Scotland. The analysis of the Noise Map for Scotland enables the identification within the plan of candidate Noise Management Areas (to prevent and reduce environmental noise where possible) and candidate Quiet Areas (to preserve environmental noise quality where it is good).
Modelled noise exposure levels have been mapped for Scotland and that information is made available to the public. These maps include all road and rail sources (major and non-major) for the whole of Scotland, previously this level of detail was only produced within the agglomerations. The model will enable the identification of candidate Noise Management Areas (CNMAs) and candidate Quiet Areas (CQAs). CNMAs focus on those areas where people are most likely to be annoyed by noise; whilst CQAs aim to preserve quiet areas in the agglomeration. The Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland is based on these strategic noise maps.
The five agglomerations are Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Glasgow. An agglomeration is defined as an area with more than 100,000 inhabitants in an urbanised area with a population density equal to or greater than 500 people per km2.
- What is your timeframe for completing the Fairer Scotland Duty assessment?
Completion by March 2026
- Who else will be involved in the assessment and what roles will they play? We’d expect involvement from policy and analytical teams as a minimum. It’s rarely appropriate for one person to conduct the assessment alone.
Environmental protection team – Lead policy team for the Agglomerations Noise Action Plan Transport Scotland: Environment Branch – Lead policy team for the Transportation Noise Action Plan Agglomerations Noise Action Plan stakeholders – the principal organisations implementing relevant actions identified within each Noise Action Plan.
Stage 2 – evidence
- What does the evidence suggest about existing inequalities of outcome, caused by socio-economic disadvantage, in this specific policy area? You might want to think about:
- people on low incomes
- people in deprived areas (and particular communities of place and interest)
- people with no/low wealth or in debt
- people in material deprivation
- people from different social classes
The noise maps identify locations of the (modelled) highest noise exposure levels within the specified agglomeration area. The focus of the noise mapping is on anyone exposed to higher levels of noise from their homes with people living close to the noise sources (road, rail, and industry) disproportionately affected. As part of the process to validate the candidate Noise Management Areas local authorities will consider the local communities affected.
- What does the evidence suggest about possible impacts of the policy/programme/decision, as planned, on those inequalities of outcome?
Action is prioritised based on areas with the highest levels of noise exposure and greatest population density, supporting the greatest number of people.
The European Environment Agency, in June 2025[2], has estimated that just over 110 million people, or more that 20 percent of the EU’s population, are subject to noise levels that scientists and health experts consider unacceptable. They are annoyed, their sleep is disturbed, and adverse health effects are expected.
- Is there evidence that suggests alternative approaches to the policy/programme/decision? For example, evidence from the UK or international evidence?
A consistent modelling approach has been taken by the UK Government, Welsh Government and across the EU on the production of the Fourth Round noise map, using the CNOSSOS-EU methodology, as set out in the EU Directive. Noise action plans, based on the noise maps, are required for agglomerations, transport and major airports, as set in the Environmental Noise Regulations.
- What gaps are there in key evidence? Is it possible to collect new evidence quickly in other areas? For example, through consultation meetings, focus groups or surveys?
The Round 4 maps uses the new methodology CNOSSOS-EU (Environmental Noise Directive Annex II) for road and railway traffic noise.
The Noise Action Planning meetings, with appropriate stakeholders, enabled identification of the appropriate datasets required for the production of the Noise Map for Scotland.
The process to identify the CNMAs focuses on the sources of noise (e.g. road, rail and industrial), and the façade of the building. The mapping process does not include data collection / correlation with social-economic data for the areas identified as a CNMA.
- How could you involve communities of interest (including those with lived experience of poverty and disadvantage) in this process? The voices of people and communities are likely to be important for identifying potential improvements to the programme/policy/decision.
A consultation on the Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland was undertaken from 04 November to 31 December 2025, this gave an opportunity for interested communities (those affected by noise) to engage in action planning.
Stage 3 – assessment and improvement
- What options could strengthen this programme/policy/decision in its impact on inequalities of outcome?
The candidate Noise Management Areas (CNMAs) identify areas with the greatest exposure to noise and prioritises action to reduce the potential exposure to the noise. Measures are focused on tackling areas experiencing higher levels of noise to deliver the greatest benefit.
- What are the pros and cons of these options?
The production of the noise maps and the Agglomerations Noise Action Plan fulfils the statutory requirements. The CNMAs and CQAs are identified on a prioritised basis, which enables the local authorities to focus efforts in these areas to validate the noise model output. Different mitigation measures could be incorporated where appropriate to mitigate the source, or sources, of the noise. Whilst the CNMAs are not directly linked to people in poverty / lower socio-economic groups, these prioritised CNMAs focus on areas where the local noise is high and it could potentially affect a large number of people.
- How could the programme/policy/decision be adjusted to address inequalities associated with particular groups? Communities of interest or of place who are more at risk of inequalities of the outcome?
The prioritisation of the candidate Noise Management Areas is based on modelled data for noise and the estimated number of people, dwelling, schools and hospitals exposed to this noise. The prioritisation includes an estimation of the number of people likely to be affected. The prioritisation process highlights areas of potentially higher noise exposure, which the relevant Local Authority can consider.
Stage 4 – decision
- what changes, if any, will be made to the proposal as a result of the assessment? Why are these changes being made and what are the expected outcomes?
- if no changes are proposed, please explain why.
The Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland has three objectives with supporting actions. The second objective states “On a prioritised basis agglomerations will manage exposure to environmental noise.” The aim of this objective works towards a fairer Scotland, in that the worst affected areas are tackled first.
Sign off of the Fairer Scotland Assessment
Name: Anne Aitken
Job title: Deputy Director, Environmental Quality & Resilience Division
17 February 2026
Stage 5 Publication
The final stage is the Fairer Scotland Duty summary for publication on the Scottish Government website.