Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland
Agglomerations Noise Action Plan
Noise Action Plans
The draft Noise Action Plan contains information on the modelled environmental noise in each of the agglomeration. The Scottish Government recognises that environmental noise can be distressing and have an adverse effect on the populations’ health and quality of life. The Noise Action Planning process helps identify potential areas subjected to the greatest noise exposure.
This consultation seeks views on the Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland.
Management of noise
The draft Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland, has taken the output from the Round four noise maps and presents the areas across Scotland subjected to the greatest exposure to noise. These have been identified as candidate noise management areas (CNMAs). Where CNMAs have been confirmed as a Noise Management Area the relevant Local Authority will then be able to consider the viability of any relevant mitigation measures. Candidate quiet areas (CQAs) have also been identified as part of the noise mapping process, where these are confirmed as Quiet Areas (QAs) consideration will be given to protecting their quieter sound profile.
Scottish Environmental Noise Coordination Group
To oversee the action planning process the Scottish Environmental Noise Coordination Group has been established. Its predecessor was set up during the first round of the 2006 Regulations and continued to oversee delivery of Rounds 2 and 3. The group is chaired by the Scottish Government and membership includes the representatives from each agglomeration together with Transport Scotland and the relevant airports. The Scottish Environmental Noise Coordination Group provides a forum for discussion on the strategic noise maps for Scotland and the development and implementation of the Agglomerations Noise Action Plan.
Definition of Environmental Noise and Modelling Noise
Definition of Environmental Noise
The definition of environmental noise is defined as unwanted or harmful outdoor sound created by human activities, including noise omitted by means of transport, road traffic, rail, air traffic, and noise from sites of industrial activity. The 2006 Regulations do not apply to a noise caused by the person exposed to the noise, noise from domestic activities, noise created by neighbours, noise at workplaces, or noise inside means of transport or due to military activities in military areas. These are dealt with through separate pieces of legislation.
Modelling Noise
The Scottish Government has produced noise maps across the entirety of Scotland, showing all areas where people are exposed to high levels of environmental noise, and to support the development of noise action plans.
The noise maps were developed using computer modelling rather than measuring noise. The methodology used is set out in Annex II of EC Directive 2002/49/EC (as amended) and is commonly known as the Common Noise Assessment Methods in Europe (CNOSSOS-EU).
There are several technical and practical reasons why noise maps are normally produced using computer predictions rather than from noise measurements. To produce a map based on measurements would require many measurements to be undertaken over long periods; this would be prohibitively expensive. In most cases, the noise at a location is produced by a combination of different sources. Normal noise monitoring cannot distinguish the contribution from each of these different sources and so noise action planning deciding which source or sources to tackle to reduce the overall noise level is not straightforward.
Noise maps produced by computer modelling can be used to show the noise from individual noise sources. Noise measurements can also be affected by the weather in several ways. Firstly, the source itself might be affected, traffic noise for example has a different characteristic when the road surface is wet and the direction of take-off at an airport might be affected by the wind direction. Secondly, the measuring equipment can itself be affected high winds can generate noise at the microphone. Finally, high winds and heavy rain can themselves be sources of noise from their action on trees and buildings surfaces and these can affect the levels of measured noise. Weather conditions therefore impose a real constraint on the number of days (or nights) when measured noise levels can be relied on.