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Mapping out the hotspots of noise pollution
Yorkshire people are forced to endure noise pollution that in some places is as loud as a jet on take-off, according to new maps of the region released yesterday.
The maps have been released online by the Government in order to combat the dangers such sounds can cause.
For the first time the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has detailed the level of noise emitted from major industries, road and rail networks for some of the worst polluted locations around the UK, including Hull, Sheffield and the whole of West Yorkshire.
Environment Minister Jonathan Shaw said: "Factors like transport and industry are a necessary part of modern life. But we need to look at what further practical steps we can take to make people's lives more tranquil.
"These maps provide the most comprehensive snapshot yet of noise in our country. They will provide a springboard to go forward and tackle unnecessary and unreasonable noise pollution.
"We will use them to draw up action plans to reduce noise where practical from major roads and railways, as well as from urban areas. The plans will include measures to protect designated quiet areas from any increase in noise."
The move follows recent research from the World Health Organisation which found that noise can create "chronic stress" that keeps people "in a state of constant alert". This may increase the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.
The study suggested noise may be the root cause of three deaths in every 100 which are usually blamed on heart disease. As heart disease kills 110,000 people each year in England, around 3,300 deaths a year could be connected to excess noise alone.
For roads, railways and industry the colour-coded key ranges from a dull brown, which represents zero decibels, to a bright purple, which represents over 75 decibels.
That spectrum spans from the threshold of hearing to the noise a twin-engine jet makes at take-off. Roads and railways show up as bright purple arteries all over cities such as Leeds, Sheffield and Hull.
The maps, which cover airports, have contoured lines to demonstrate the reach of the noise emitted. The sounds from Leeds Bradford airport are seen to go as far as skirting the edge of Yeadon. The noise level of 55 decibels equals that of the sound of a busy office environment.
Last night Peter Wakeham, director of the Noise Abatement Society, told the Yorkshire Post: "We need to increase understanding of the public nuisance of noise and more information has to be shown to the public.
"Releasing data for the roads, rail, industry and airports is a good start but you would be pretty dumb not to realise they make noise. There is a lot more that needs doing.
"The Government has just done the bare minimum. We have been waiting years for an Ambient Noise Strategy to be released, for some sort of strategy to address the problems. But what solutions have they come up with? The project needs expanding."
The noise recorded on the maps is defined as unwanted outdoor sound created by harmful activities. The data can be displayed for two different timeframes, with an average level being shown over a period of 24 hours or a period overnight.
In total the maps take in 23 major urban areas covering 80,000km of city roads, 28,000km of road networks and almost 5,000km of railways.
The data required for calculating noise levels was collated from 2006 to 2007 by the Department for Transport, the Highways Agency, Network Rail and the Environment Agency.
The project was part of the EU Environmental Noise Directive which ensures all member states make and publish strategic noise maps for all major roads, railways and airports, as well as large urban areas.
The maps can be accessed at www.defra.gov.uk/noisemapping
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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