Consultation on proposed amendments to the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006

Environmental Noise Team
Area 2A, Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR

16 February 2009

Dear consultee,

Consultation on proposed amendments to the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006

I am writing to invite views on proposed amendments to the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006.

The Environmental Noise Directive (END) 2002/49/EC implemented through the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 and the Environmental Noise (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 require noise mapping and action planning to be taken forward on a five-year rolling programme. The first round of mapping for England has now been completed and the results can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/mapping/. We are currently developing draft action plans for agglomerations, major roads and major railways. It has become clear, however, that a number of amendments to the Environmental Noise Regulations need to be undertaken to improve the action planning procedure, before we can formally consult on these draft action plans. Nevertheless, in order to provide the public with an idea of how the amendments to the regulations will translate into action planning, we plan to publish informal draft versions of the action plans for agglomerations, major roads and major railways around March. These will represent our current thinking and will allow the public to form an opinion on the preparation of the draft action plans, prior to the formal pubic consultation expected later this year. The following documents may be found on Defra’s website at: www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/environoice-regs2006/

  • Consultation document
  • Proposed amendments to Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006
  • List of consultees

We welcome your responses on the specific questions that are asked in the body of the consultation document. If you would like a hard copy of this consultation document please contact the team via our shared mailbox at: noise@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

Responses

Please send responses to:

Environmental Noise Team,
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
Area 2A, Nobel House,
17 Smith Square,
London SW1P 3JR

email: noise@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Responses should be received by Monday 11 May 2009. In line with Defra´s policy of openness, at the end of the consultation period copies of the responses we receive will be made publicly available through the Defra Information Resource Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Ergon House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. The information they contain will also be published in a summary of responses. If you do not consent to this, you must clearly request that your response be treated confidentially. Any confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system in e-mail responses will not be treated as such a request. You should also be aware that there may be circumstances in which Defra will be required to communicate information to third parties on request, in order to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations.

The library will supply copies of consultation responses to personal callers or in response to telephone or e-mail requests (Tel: 020 7238 6575, email: defra.library@defra.gsi.gov.uk). Wherever possible, personal callers should give the library at least 24 hour notice of their requirements. An administrative charge will be made to cover photocopying and postage costs.

If you have any comments or complaints about the consultation process itself, as opposed to the content of the consultation document, please address them to Marjorie Addo, Defra’s Consultation Co-ordinator, Area 7B Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, or email: consultation.coordinator@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

Thank you for your help in this matter. If you have any queries please contact us as above.

Yours Faithfully,

Environmental Noise Team
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Page modified: 18 February 2009
Page published: 16 February 2009