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Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

The Government's Response to the
Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's
20th Report

NOISE FROM SURFACE TRANSPORT

General position

There is no evidence...that the problem of transport noise is diminishing, and some suggestion that people are becoming more sensitive to it (3.1).

Exposure to transport noise in the UK remains a serious problem and [we] welcome the development of EC activities which treat exposure to environmental noise more seriously than hitherto (3.29).

We believe that technical measures are available to make both road and rail transport quieter. These measures should be taken as soon as possible in pursuit of the targets proposed in the Eighteenth Report, which we believe are still valid (3.31).

  1. The Government agrees that transport, road traffic in particular, contributes substantially to the noise that has become part of the everyday environment and can make many people's lives a misery. The Government's White Paper on the future of transport therefore sets a framework to reduce noise from transport.
  2. Work is in hand to develop a fuller understanding of the problems arising from transport noise. This includes:
  1. The European Commission has proposed a Framework Directive on environmental noise to harmonise methods of calculating noise exposure so that targets and action plans can be developed, initially by Member States but eventually at EU level. The EC Green Paper on Future Noise Policy was circulated for comment in November 1996. It aimed to raise the policy profile of noise abatement, stimulate public discussion on future noise policy and encourage co-operation across the Community in the gathering of noise data and in information exchange - a more strategic approach. The Government is playing an active part in the technical groups that are taking forward the work on the Framework Directive. More recently, the Commission has also advocated a greater role for economic instruments, such as pricing measures and taxation, in addressing the environmental costs of transport, including noise, in its July 1998 White Paper 'Fair Payment for Infrastructure Use'.
  2. The UK Government very much welcomed the opportunity afforded by the Green Paper to participate in a wider debate about the often difficult issues relating to environmental noise and its effects. The UK has emphasised the importance of integrating analysis of costs and benefits into the development process for each proposal, so that both the costs of compliance, and as importantly, the actual benefits to be gained, are fully considered. Only if both sides of the equation are successfully developed, justified and tested from the start to inform the decision-making process, will we be in a position to judge the benefit to the environment. In this context, the Government particularly welcomed the proposal for a working group looking at the economic aspects of noise policy.
  3. The Government recognises the force of the argument in favour of clear noise targets against which progress with the implementation of noise reduction policies can be tracked. The work in Europe will assist in the development of thinking as will the noise research programme. The Government will look carefully at the possibilities for introducing targets as soon as there is sufficient information available to reach a properly informed judgement regarding their appropriateness and, if it is decided that targets should be introduced, the level at which they might be set, and will work with fellow Member States in the European Union in developing standards for vehicles, pressing for the adoption of standards aimed at reducing noise emissions where this can be done cost-effectively and without jeopardising safety.

Noise from road surfaces

Many different environmental factors - resource use, potential ecosystem damage and road safety as well as noise - ...must be taken into consideration when selecting a road-surfacing material (3.13).

We note the following UK research commitments...: to monitor the performance of whisper concrete and initiate trials of other low noise surfaces; to confirm the relationship between surface characteristics and skidding performance; to continue research on the effectiveness of barriers and their interaction with porous surfaces and cuttings. In our view, with respect to quieter road surfaces, as soon as their safety, durability and efficacy is established, the UK should adopt a policy, like that in the Netherlands, requiring roads carrying heavy traffic to be surfaced using these materials (3.30).

  1. A large proportion of traffic noise comes from the interaction between tyres and road surfaces and considerable efforts are being made to address this. However, it is vital that both roads and tyres are designed to disperse water and provide good grip. Better grip in wet conditions tends to mean more noise. The European Commission has recently tabled a draft Directive placing a limit on noise emitted by tyres fitted to new vehicles. The Government supports the principle but will look for a parallel requirement for tyre grip to ensure road safety. The speed at which traffic travels is also an important factor in the level of noise it produces and its effect on the population. The relationship between road traffic speed, emissions, noise and safety will be considered as part of the review of speed policy that was announced in the White Paper on the future of transport. It is recognised that noise from commercial vehicles, especially empty lorries, can be very intrusive. Following a joint review with industry, it is planned to develop and publish a joint Guide to Best Practice advising operators and manufacturers how to minimise such noise.
  2. The national network of motorways and trunk roads is among the most heavily trafficked, carrying 33% of motor traffic (including 57% of goods vehicle traffic). Noise arising from the latest quiet road surfaces, compared to that generated by the traditional types of motorway surfaces, is about the same as if the amount of traffic were halved. The Government will continue to develop these surfaces to improve their noise reduction properties, extend their useful life, and reduce costs. In doing so, particular care will be taken to maintain a sufficient degree of grip between road and tyre. The Government recognises the importance of environmental factors in selecting a road surfacing material, and, in future, whenever trunk roads need to be re-surfaced, we shall ensure that the most appropriate noise-reducing surfaces are used for those areas where noise is a particular concern. Quieter road surfaces will be specified as a matter of course in future contracts for building new roads or improving existing ones. This will be in addition to other measures such as earth mounds and acoustic fencing which will also be considered.
  3. A key element of the Roads Review has been the development of a new approach to appraisal. The aim has been to create a clear and open framework to appraise, and inform the prioritisation of, trunk road investment proposals. The new approach is broadly based and takes account of five criteria, one of which is environment. Several of the criteria have been divided into a number of sub-criteria and one of the sub-criteria under environment is noise. The new approach will therefore ensure that both the positive and negative impacts of a new road scheme on the noise climate in the surrounding area are considered in a transparent, explicit manner.
  4. There are a number of cases where local residents are particularly concerned about noise from existing roads and where re-surfacing cannot be justified on normal maintenance grounds. In these cases alternative measures such as noise barriers might be appropriate. Until recently the policy has been only to consider cases on roads built before 1969 and to apply extremely rigorous criteria, with the result that very few cases have qualified for relief. The Government will establish revised criteria and a ring-fenced annual budget which will enable the Highways Agency over a reasonable period of time to deal with some of the most serious and pressing cases.

Rail noise

We acknowledge the potential conflict existing between the desire to increase rail's share of traffic, particularly of freight traffic, and public antagonism towards noisy railways. The need to transfer traffic onto the railways and use the railway network more efficiently will inevitably mean increased rail movements. We believe that developments in quieter track and rolling stock have been made and that greater priority should now be given to updating the existing network and rolling stock and reducing railway noise.... We share the previous Government's concerns about the possible effects of variable track charges on reducing the attractiveness of the railways compared to the roads (3.29).

  1. Although railways are, in the main, less environmentally harmful than road transport and noise from railways tends to be less disruptive than noise from road transport, railway noise can still be disturbing for those who live close to railway lines. The Government's aim is to reduce railway noise as much as possible but cost and practical considerations have to be taken into account. Noise is being reduced by measures such as replacing jointed track with welded track, and new rolling stock tends to be quieter than that which it replaces. Noise barriers have helped in some locations but they can also replace noise disturbance with visual intrusion. New rail projects, such as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, will have noise mitigation measures designed into them from the beginning. The Government will also work with the European Commission on the development of noise standards for freight wagons and high-speed inter-city trains.
  2. On track charges, the Rail Regulator will shortly be reviewing Railtrack's access charges, and the Government will look to the Regulator to consider both the level and structure of charging.

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Published 23 December 1998
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