Transportation: noise action plan

This plan is one in a suite of six noise action plans produced under the terms of the Environmental Noise Directive (END).


Footnotes

1. Environmental noise definition is based on Environmental Noise Directive Annex I to Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control

2. END does not apply to noise caused by the person exposed to the noise, noise from domestic activities, noise created by neighbours, noise at work places, or noise inside means of transport or due to military activities in military areas. It should be noted that whilst transport noise is the most common form of noise (from road transport, aircraft and railways with road responsible for ~90% of transportation noise), noise can also occur from industrial or workplace processes, wind turbines, pubs, clubs, next door neighbours and people in the street.

3. WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. See WHO (2011) Burden of disease from environmental noise: Quantification of healthy life years lost in Europe. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/136466/e94888.pdf

4. Maynard (2010) Environmental Noise and Health in the UK: A report by the Ad Hoc Expert Group on Noise and Health. Health Protection Agency. http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1279888026747.

5. END required competent authorities to draw up "strategic noise maps" for major roads, railways, airports and agglomerations, using harmonised noise indicators L den (day-evening-night equivalent level) and L night (night equivalent level).

6. The Scottish Government has defined 'places near' as areas where the noise mapping indicates the Lden exceeds the 55 dB(A) noise contour and the Lnight exceeds the 50 dB(A) noise contour.

7. Scotland's trunk road network covers a distance of 3,500 kilometres with 1,900 bridges and 3,700 other structures.

8. Scotlands rail network comprises 2,729 kilometres of railway - 23% electrified - with 344 stations leased by First ScotRail and 4 others operated by Network Rail (Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley), GNER (Dunbar), or a private company (Prestwick International Airport). Two thirds of rail passenger journeys were supported by the west of Scotland commuter network, and one third were elsewhere in Scotland.

9. Local authorities manage and maintain local roads, which comprise approximately 94% of Scotland's roads (around 56,000km).

10. Strategic maps cannot be used to determine the noise level for any specific property particularly in the presence/absence of local features e.g. walls which may influence actual noise levels.

11. Noise complaints will occur outwith NMAs. As such, consideration of actions/policy will also be given to areas outwith the NMAs, given the strategic nature of the Transportation Noise Action Plan

12. http://www.scottishnoisemapping.org/public/action-planning.aspx

13. Objectives sought Round 1 mapping completion and reporting in 2009 and revision by early 2014

14. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/08/24141743/0

15. Noise from new roads can be managed via the planning process, as detailed in Planning Advice Note 1/2011 and PAN 51.

16. Trigger level is 68dB LA10, 18hrs e.g.

17. http://www.scottishnoisemapping.org/downloads/guidance/Technical_Guidance_CNMA2NMA.pdf

18. http://www.scottishnoisemapping.org/default.aspx

19. Such as traffic flow, composition, speed, surface type, gradient and topography

20. Such as existing sound insulation, existing noise barriers or building orientation

21. Although 'Quiet Areas' are not specifically defined in the Directive, a study by the Transport and Research Laboratory ( TRL) recommended that UK 'Quiet Areas' should be defined as areas ≥9 hectares and in which at least 75% of the area is subject to noise levels not exceeding < 55 dB L day

22. This is covered in separate Technical Guidance on the Scottish Noise Mapping website

23. Noise management may not have been the principle driver, but such actions nevertheless have contributed towards noise abatement in Scotland

24. http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/policy/design/new-road-surface-specification?current_state=mobile

25. http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/system/files/documents/guides/TS2010_Ver_02_Jan_12_pdf.pdf

26. http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/projects/m80-stepps-to-haggs/construction-progress/construction-progress-archive#nov09

27. http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/sustainability/low-carbon-vehicles

28. http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/technology/intelligent-transport-systems

Contact

environment.protection.team@gov.scot

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