Noise pollution levels spur call for action

Tackling the pervasive problem of noise pollution is top of the agenda in LAWE's annual special review of nuisance in all its main forms, including odour and pest control. New research shows how noise continues to blight the environment prompting calls for more action to implements an effective noise strategy.


Excessive noise remains one of the most disturbing and distressing forms of

nuisance according to the latest studies published to coincide with Noise Action

Day held on 22 May. Promoted by NSCA (National Society for Clean Air and Environmental

Protection) the action day was backed by over 200 local authorities across the

UK.

According to Environment Minister Michael Minister there is still a lot to

do, particularly about noisy neighbours.

He was addressing the first conference of the UK Noise Forum, held at the CIEH,

where he announced the results of the outcome of three major pieces of DEFRA

research on how noise is changing in the UK, what noises people see as problems

and what can be done to minimise them.

Mr Meacher said: “The general findings from this latest research are encouraging

in that overall outdoor noise levels remained almost constant over the past

decade. But we must not be complacent: people’s perception does seem to be that

noise – especially from neighbours – has got worse in some respects. We will

continue to try and find ways to address particular problems created by noise.”

Research on noise

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has been undertaking two pieces of

research, the Noise Incidence Study (NIS) and the Noise Attitudes Survey (NAS),

following up identical surveys to those carried out by them on behalf of the

Department in 1990 and 1991. At the same time DEFRA, as part of an ongoing commitment

to ensure that UK legislation provides the most effective possible framework

to control noise nuisance, has carried out a review of European legislation

and practices relating to neighbour and neighbourhood noise.

Amongst the findings of the research, which included a survey of more than

5,000 people, were:

  • 21% of respondents reported that noise spoilt their home life to some extent,

    with 8% of respondents reporting that their home life was spoilt either “quite

    a lot” or “totally”

  • 84% of respondents heard road traffic noise and 40% were bothered, annoyed

    or disturbed to some extent

  • 28% of respondents reported that road traffic noise at their homes had

    got worse in the last five years: this should be considered alongside the

    trends in noise level and noise exposure found in the National Noise Incidence

    Survey 00/01

  • 81% of respondents heard noise from neighbours and/or other people nearby

    and 37% were bothered, annoyed or disturbed to some extent

  • the proportion of respondents who reported being adversely affected by

    noise from neighbours has increased from 21% to 26% over the last 10 years,

    whilst for all other categories of environmental noise the proportion adversely

    affected has remained unchanged

  • only a small proportion of respondents who were bothered by noise from

    neighbours complained to the environmental health department of the local

    authority, which means that noise complaint statistics may greatly underestimate

    the extent of community dissatisfaction

NSCA calls for action

According to its National Noise Survey 2002, published on 22 May, NSCA says

“Neighbour noise is still a huge problem across the UK with little prospect

of improvement.” The survey was sent to all Chief Environmental Health

Officers in the UK during March 2002, asking their opinions on noise complaints,

current and proposed legislation, dispute resolution and future policies for

managing noise.

Main findings are:

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe