Noise: Action planning

Public Consultation on Draft Noise Action Plans

The consultation on draft noise action plans was launched on 15 July 2009. The consultation seeks views on draft noise action plans for agglomerations, major roads (outside agglomerations) and major railways (outside agglomerations), which fulfils obligations under the Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) and the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

Background to Production of Noise Action Plans

The Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC (END) and the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended) require us to:

  • Prepare strategic noise maps for large urban areas (referred to as agglomerations in the Directive), major roads, major railways and major airports.
  • Prepare action plans based on the results of the noise mapping with the intention that these plans will aim to manage and reduce, where necessary, environmental noise, and preserve environmental noise quality where it is good in agglomerations (so-called ‘quiet areas’).
  • Make information available to the public and facilitate public participation in the process.
Noise Action Plans

Following the publication of strategic noise maps in 2008, Defra has been developing draft noise action plans. The purpose of these draft noise action plans is to assist the management of environmental noise in the context of sustainable development and will apply in particular to important areas identified by the maps. Early drafts of the noise action plans were published in March 2009 with the aim of providing people with an opportunity to give their initial feedback and help shape the noise action plans. Various comments were received on those documents and many of these have been taken into account in the draft noise action plans.

Consultation on Draft Noise Action Plans

The consultation package contains the following documents:

  • List of consultees;
  • Consultation letter;
  • This consultation document;
  • Draft Noise Action Plan template for agglomerations;
  • The supporting data document for the Agglomeration template;
  • Draft Noise Action Plan for Major Roads (outside agglomerations);
  • Draft Noise Action Plan for Major Railways (outside agglomerations);
  • Maps identifying first priority locations and
  • The associated Impact Assessment
Technical Note

The identification of the first priority locations and Important Areas has been based, as required by the Directive and the Regulations, on the results of the noise mapping. Although noise mapping is a very complex process, we are satisfied that the results, overall, do give a very good indication of those places that are exposed to the highest levels of noise. However, we are aware that at some specific locations, the modelling process has caused some anomalies to occur. At this stage, we have not tried to screen out these anomalies. Instead, they will be addressed during the process described in the draft noise action plans.

Guidance for Airport Operators to produce airport noise action plans

In September 2008, Defra published for consultation Guidance for Airport Operators to produce airport noise action plans under the terms of the Regulations.  The consultation period finished at the end of November the responses received were evaluated.  After implementing some amendments to the guidance the final version is now published below.

The relevant Airport Operators are now required to prepare their noise action plans following this published guidance.  They are being requested to follow the following timetable

Date
No Later than

Activity

1st July 2009

Formal Consultation on draft noise action plan commences

21st October 2009

Formal Consultation ends

30th November 2009

Draft Noise Action Plan and accompanying summary is sent to the Secretary of State for Transport and copied to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

This timetable has been prepared to take account of and correspond with the progress that is expected to occur with regard to the preparation of the other noise action plans required by the Regulations.

See also

 

Page last modified: 15 July 2009