Noise: Ambient noise
Ambient or environmental noise is unwanted or harmful outdoor sound created by human activities, including noise emitted by means of transport - road traffic, rail traffic, air traffic - and from sites of industrial activity.
- European policy on environmental (or ambient) noise
- The Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006
- The Environmental Noise (Identification of Noise Sources) (England) Regulations 2007
- The Environmental Noise (Identification of Noise Sources) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
- National Ambient Noise Strategy
- Aviation Maps
European policy on environmental (or ambient) noise
In 1996 the European Commission issued a Green Paper in which it was stated that an estimated 20% of the EU citizens were exposed to noise levels that scientists and health experts considered to be unacceptable, at which most people become annoyed, sleep is disturbed and health may be at risk.
There are already a number of EU directives in place to control noise from transport sources, for example from vehicles and outdoor machinery. The Green Paper proposed a more strategic approach control by focusing on those exposed to environmental noise. The Commission believes that such an approach would require comprehensive information about noise exposure levels across the EU and what action is being taken at local level.
In July 2000 the Commission issued a proposal for a Directive relating to the Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise (the Environmental Noise Directive). It concerns noise from road, rail and air traffic and industry. It focuses on the impacts of noise on individuals, and it complements existing EU legislation which sets standards for noise emissions from specific sources. The Directive 2002/49/EC was published in the Official Journal on 18 July 2002.
The Environmental Noise Directive requires Member States to make Strategic Noise Maps for major agglomerations along major roads, major railways and major airports within their territories.
Action plans will also have to be drawn up. These will be designed to manage noise issues and effects including noise reduction if necessary.
The dates for the completion of the first round of maps and action plans are 30 June 2007 and 18 July 2008 respectively.
The Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006
The Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 give effect to EU Directive 2002/49/E, relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. The Regulations which were laid before Parliament on 7 September 2006 and came into force on 1 October 2006 are not intended to address domestic or neighbourhood noise.
Airport technical guidance designed for operators of civil airports that are likely to be affected by the Regulations has been produced. This guidance does not apply to those airports that have been designated under section 80 for the purposes of section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982.
The Environmental Noise (Identification of Noise Sources) (England ) Regulations 2007
Pursuant to Article 3 (1) of the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 these Regulations identify all:
- first round agglomerations
- first round major roads
- first round major railways
The Regulations also identify major airports by listing them. The Regulations which were laid before Parliament on 20 February 2007 came into force on 19 March 2007.
The Environmental Noise (Identification of Noise Sources) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
These Regulations amend Schedule 4 to the Environmental Noise (Identification of Noise Sources ) (England) Regulations 2007 and remove three airports (Gloucestershire, London Biggin Hill and Shoreham) from the list of major airports listed under this Schedule. The Regulations were laid before Parliament on 23 August 2007 and came into force on 20 September 2007.
National Ambient Noise Strategy
The Government plans to issue a combined National Noise Strategy covering both environmental and neighbourhood noise by the end of 2007.
Aviation Maps
The results of the aircraft noise mapping that has been carried out for the 18 airports that had to produce noise maps under the requirements of these Regulations are shown here.
For each airport, two maps are shown, depicting the results in terms of the Lden, and Lnight. There is one exception, Shoreham, where only an Lden map is shown as there were no night time activities at that airport in 2006. A glossary of terms is shown in the box below:
The END requires the maps to represent the annual average values. This contrasts with the current UK practice of producing aircraft noise contours for the average summer’s day (16 hour, 07.00 -23.00, Leq). Existing practice uses air traffic data during the summer months mid June to mid September to estimate the level of aircraft noise experienced by people living round the three London designated airports. The END requires the use of different parameters, Lday (07.00 – 19.00), Levening (19.00 – 23.00), Lnight (23.00 – 07.00), Leq16hr (07.00 – 23.00), and Lden (00.00 – 24.00).
The results published here, however, are for an average day over the whole year, in this case 2006. Thus there is likely to be a difference between the results for an average day in the summer period (which for most airports is the busiest) and an average day in a year.
It has also been found that the Lden indicator tends to produce larger contours than the corresponding LAeq,16h indicator. This is because the noise which occurs in the evening (1900 – 2300) and at night (2300 – 0700) attracts an artificial weighting of 5dB and 10 dB added respectively before being combined to produce the Lden.
Given the difference in parameters, it is not possible to draw any meaningful conclusions between the END maps and the annual summer contours. This will need to await the second tranche of noise mapping in 2012.
It must be noted that these strategic noise maps have been produced only for the purposes of the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006. Defra cannot be held responsible for any outcomes that may arise from using these results by any party for any reason other than for the purpose stated here.
Glossary of Terms
Decibel (dB)
The decibel (dB) is a logarithmic unit of measurement that expresses the magnitude of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. Its logarithmic nature allows very large or very small ratios to be represented by a convenient number. Being a ratio, it is a dimensionless unit. Decibels are used for a wide variety of measurements including acoustics, and for audible sound A-weighted decibels (dBA) are commonly used.
dB(A)
A unit of sound pressure level, adjusted in accordance with the A weighting scale, which takes into account the increased sensitivity of the human ear at some frequencies
LAeq,T
The notional A-weighted equivalent continuous sound level which, if it occurred over the same time period, would give the same noise level as the actual varying sound level. The T denotes the time period over which the average is taken, for example LAeq,8h is the equivalent continuous noise level over a 8 hour period.
Lday
The A-weighted average sound level over the 12 hour day period of 0700 – 1900 hours.
Levening
The A-weighted average sound level over the 4 hour evening period of 1900 – 2300 hours.
Lnight
The A-weighted average sound level over the 8 hour night period of 2300 – 0700 hours.
Lden
The day, evening, night level, Lden is a logarithmic composite of the Lday, Levening, and Lnight levels but with 5 dB(A) being added to the Levening value and 10 dB(A) being added to the Lnight value
LAeq,16h
The A-weighted average sound level over the 16 hour period of 0700 - 2300
Noise Bands
Areas with similar noise exposure in 5 dB(A) ranges according to the key shown with the maps
Noise Contours
Lines showing the locations with the same noise exposure according to the key shown with the maps.
The airports mapped are:
- Birmingham International Airport (EGBB), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Birmingham International Airport (EGBB), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Blackpool Squire’s Gate Airport (EGNH), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Blackpool Squire's Gate Airport (EGNH), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Bournemouth Airport (EGHH), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Bournemouth Airport (EGHH), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Bristol Lulsgate Airport (EGGD), Lden (PDF 2 MB)
- Bristol Lulsgate Airport (EGGD), Lnight (PDF 2 MB)
- Coventry Airport (EGBE), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Coventry Airport (EGBE), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Leeds Bradford Airport (EGNM), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Leeds Bradford Airport (EGNM), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport (EGGP), Lden (PDF 4 MB)
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport (EGGP), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- London City Airport (EGLC), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- London City Airport (EGLC), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- London Gatwick Airport (EGKK), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- London Gatwick Airport (EGKK), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- London Heathrow Airport (EGLL), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- London Heathrow Airport (EGLL), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- London Luton Airport (EGGW), Lden (PDF 2 MB)
- London Luton Airport (EGGW), Lnight (PDF 2 MB)
- London Stansted Airport (EGSS), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- London Stansted Airport (EGSS), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Manchester International Airport (EGCC), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Manchester International Airport (EGCC), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Newcastle International Airport (EGNT), Lden (PDF 2 MB)
- Newcastle International Airport (EGNT), Lnight (PDF 2 MB)
- Nottingham East Midlands Airport (EGNX), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Nottingham East Midlands Airport (EGNX), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Shoreham Airport (EGKA), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Southampton Eastleigh Airport (EGHI), Lden (PDF 3 MB)
- Southampton Eastleigh Airport (EGHI), Lnight (PDF 3 MB)
- Southend Airport (EGMC), Lden (PDF 2 MB)
- Southend Airport (EGMC), Lnight (PDF 2 MB)
Note. Shoreham Airport does not operate during the night period. Consequently a night noise map has not been produced.
Further information on background to the Environmental Noise Directive can be found on the Commission’s website.
Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat PDF documents.
Page last modified: 28 March 2008