Highways Agency

Guidance on Noise Nuisance from Trunk Roads and Motorways

Background

The Highways Agency implements the Government's policy, which is to mitigate the effects of noise arising from traffic on the strategic network where appropriate. To this end, all trunk road improvement proposals are appraised using the New Approach To Appraisal (NATA), which considers environmental objectives alongside social and economic concerns.

All road construction projects will include high standards of environmental mitigation to ensure that, so far as reasonably possible, the impact of noise is minimised in accordance with this policy.

Where new roads are to be built or existing roads significantly improved, quieter road surfaces will be specified in future contracts as a matter of course. This will be in addition to other measures such as earth mounds and acoustic fencing, which will also be considered. Whenever a road needs resurfacing, the most appropriate noise-reducing surface will be used.

Frequently Asked Questions regarding proposed Road Schemes

Q) How can I find out more about the effects of a proposed road scheme on my home

A) Information is provided at various stages in the development of a scheme in the form of explanatory leaflets, exhibitions, maps and lists. You may also obtain additional information by contacting the nearest office of the Highways Agency, or by telephoning the enquiry point at 0645 556575

Q) How can I find out more about my rights to land compensation?

A) A series of 5 booklets explains the Land Compensation Code in simple terms. The booklets cover the following topics:

• Booklet 1: Compulsory purchase procedure
• Booklet 2: Compensation to business owners and occupiers
• Booklet 3: Compensation to agricultural owners and occupiers
• Booklet 4: Compensation to residential owners and occupiers
• Booklet 5: Mitigation works

For example, if you think your home may be affected by noise nuisance, you should read Booklet 5. However, it is important that you read Booklet 1 before reading the others in the series as this provides an overview of the whole procedure. View the booklets.

Q) How is noise impact calculated?

A) In general, the noise assessment becomes increasingly detailed as the scheme develops. Noise levels at individual properties or other noise sensitive locations are calculated in accordance with the document 'Calculation of Road Traffic Noise'. This provides the standard procedure for predicting noise levels in connection with assessing entitlement to noise insulation, but is used more widely to assess noise impacts of road traffic. This document can be purchased from 'The Stationery Office (TSO)'. This office can be contacted on the following web address: www.tso.co.uk and on the following telephone number: 0121 236 9696.

Q) When are noise assessments carried out?

A) The Highways Agency undertakes noise assessments at three key stages of a scheme in accordance with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Volume 11. This document can be accessed by following the menus provided by the link above. The 3 Key stages of Noise Assessment are:

1. Stage 1 - prior to the scheme entering the Roads Programme.
2. Stage 2 - prior to the Preferred Route Announcement.
3. Stage 3 - prior to the publication of the Draft Orders and Environmental Statement.

Q) How detailed are the noise assessments at different stages?

A) The objective at each stage is to undertake sufficient assessment for the following purposes:

• stage 1 - to provide an appreciation of the likely noise and vibration consequences from traffic associated with particular broadly defined routes. The assessment required is therefore not detailed, and mainly involve identifying areas particularly sensitive to noise and an estimate of the number of houses within 300m of existing roads subject to traffic changes over 25%.
• stage 2 - to identify the noise and vibration effects to be taken into account in developing and refining route options. The assessment required is similar to that for stage 1, but in slightly greater detail.
• stage 3 - requires a fairly detailed assessment of the noise levels at all properties and other relevant locations where changes in traffic noise from the road scheme is likely to increase or decrease the overall level of noise. . The assessment will show the predicted changes in noise levels, categorised into bands, with the number of properties within each band identified. A noise nuisance assessment is also undertaken for individual properties should there be a predicted change in noise levels of 1 db or more. The results of this assessment will be included in the Environmental Statement.

Q) How are noise impact assessments reported and utilised in the Environmental Statement?

A) The noise impact assessments are reported in the Appraisal Summary Table (AST). The AST's function is to assess the overall impact of the proposed scheme in accordance with 'Guidance on the Methodology for Multi-Modal Studies . The Highways Agency is required to use this methodology for its appraisal of road schemes.

Q) Will the HA provide mitigation measures to reduce the noise impacts of the scheme on my home?

A) The HA will implement Government policy towards tackling the problem of traffic noise from the trunk road network as spelled out in 'A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England'. Chapter 6 "Making Life Better for Communities" deals with the problem of traffic noise. The policy assumes that quieter road surfaces will be specified in future contracts as a matter of course and that other measures such as earth mounds and acoustic fencing will also be considered in order to reduce the impact of traffic noise.

Q) How will I know if I have a right to insulation against traffic noise?

A) You will normally receive a letter to inform you of your rights if the noise assessment reveals that your property meets the qualifying criteria. In addition, all qualifying properties will be identified in the Environmental Statement.

Q) What can I do if I believe my property is going to be seriously affected by traffic noise from the new road?

A) If your home has not been listed among those eligible for insulation in the Environmental Statement, this will mean that your property was not considered to meet the qualifying criteria for statutory insulation, either as the result of the mitigation to be provided by the proposed road scheme or for other reasons. For example, this may be in part because your property is further than 300 metres from the new road construction. The decisions about the mitigation measures can be scrutinised at the Public Inquiry.

Q) What can I do if my home is within 300 metres and is not shown on the map or the list?

A) If you believe that your home should be eligible for statutory noise insulation, in certain circumstances, you can appeal to the Highways Agency for a review of your case. Full details of the appeal procedure can be found in the booklets on compulsory purchase and compensation.

Q) What can I do if the noise levels near my home increase during the construction stage?

A) If this noise is considered to be excessive and yet unavoidable, you may be helped in one or more of the ways described in Booklet 5 in the series.

Q) What restrictions are placed on the amount of noise that contractors can make?

A) Limits on the level of noise that may be emitted from the construction site can be included in a list of restrictions placed on a contractor to prevent unnecessary disruption to people living in or passing through the area. It is normal practice to consult the local authority about the need for any specific conditions to be attached to the construction contract to limit working hours, means of access to the site, and to take measures to control dust, noise etc. If it is considered necessary, a monitoring regime may be put in place to ensure that the contractor complies with such restrictions.

Q) How do you take account of these problems when planning a road scheme?

A) Potential disruption is assessed in accordance with the methods explained in DMRB 11.3.3; and paragraph 3.7 indicates that the Environmental Statement should identify the number of properties within 100 metres that are sensitive to disruption and any construction operations that would have a potentially significant impact on them.

Q) If I am eligible for insulation against traffic noise then what type of insulation will be offered? A) The standard package includes secondary glazing, noise suppressed mechanical ventilation and venetian blinds. Further details of these elements are explained in Booklet 5 of the series about the compensation code. Q) Am I entitled to any compensation if I sell my home because of actual or likely effects of construction?

A) You could be eligible for compensation for Injurious Affection under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973. Full details are explained in the booklets previously described. The Highways Agency website also provides an explanation of the Part 1 claims procedure:

Frequently Asked Questions about noise issues where there is no scheme

Q) I live close to an existing trunk road/motorway and suffer from the increased traffic noise on a daily basis. What measures can you take to reduce noise nuisance?

A) The Agency has undertaken to resurface over 60% of the Trunk Road network with quieter surfacing over the next ten years as part of the Ten Year Plan. Our strategy for achieving this target includes resurfacing the network progressively with quieter materials whenever there is a need to maintain the structural integrity or skidding performance of the carriageway. The original Ten Year Plan target also included the resurfacing of any remaining concrete trunk roads with quieter materials irrespective of the need for maintenance by the end of March 2011. However, the resurfacing of concrete roads ahead of maintenance need, for noise reasons, is no longer allocated funding. As a result, any remaining concrete roads will now only be resurfaced with quieter materials when the surface requires maintenance

Q) I understand the Agency has no plans to resurface the trunk road near me in the foreseeable future, but we are suffering from traffic noise which has increased over the years. How does the Agency intend to deal with this problem when the trunk road has not been identified in any maintenance programme?

A) The Agency is committed to addressing the most pressing noise problems at a number of locations on the trunk road network where there is no early prospect of achieving noise reductions through quiet surfacing. These locations were identified in answer to a Parliamentary Question and consequently are referred to as 'Hansard Sites'. A ring-fenced budget of £5 million each year has been set aside to fund a programme of local noise reduction measures called the 'Noise Mitigation Programme'.

Appropriate measures to reduce the effects of noise on adjacent properties have been carried out at many of the worst cases from the 'Hansard Sites' list. There is a forward programme to complete the remainder within the Ten Year Plan.