Clean Air and Environmental Protection

228 Pages·1998·24.4 MB·English

CLEAN AIR
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
January/February 1998
¢ Policies & Perspectives on Noise Control
e Environmental Protection 97
Global Problems & Local Policies - NSCA President's Address
Centre pull-out: NSCA Conference Report
e Air Pollution Episodes - London & Paris
Volume 28 Number 1
NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CLEAN AIR
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
1998
NSCA Pollution Handbook
The essential guide to UK & European pollution control legislation
Available February 1998
The NSCA Pollution Handbook is the standard reference book for environment protection specialists,
providing a comprehensive one-stop guide to all UK and European Community pollution control
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The 1998 edition has been completely updated to include full details of all new pollution control legislation
brought into force during 1997 and details of draft legislationn which were avaiulable up to December
1997, alongside the usual chapters covering integrated pollution control, air pollution, waste, noise and
water.
Appendices list prescribed substances, Part A and B processes and process guidance notes, smoke control
authorised fuels, EC Directives, and water quality regulations. The Handbook is a set reference book for
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CLEAN AIR VOL. 28, No. 1 1
CLEAN AIR
JANUARY /FEBRUARY 1998
VOLUME 28
ISSN 0300-5734
Publishing Director: CONTENTS
Richard Mills
Secretary General, NSCA
Noise Control
Editor: - Introduction
Loveday Murley
- UK Priorities for Noise Policy: Angela Eagle MP aN
Development Officer: - DETR National Survey of Domestic
Tim Brown Noise Complaints: Patrick Williams
Policy Officer: - Reducing Neighbour Noise Complaints: 14
Dr. Malcolm Eames Robert Heathcock
Advertising (rates on request): - Future Noise Policy: Malcolm Eames
Sally May
CLEAN AIR is the official journal of President's Address
the Society but the views expressed in - Global Problems and Local Policies: Du
contributed articles are not necessarily Sir Crispin Tickell
endorsed by the Society.
CLEAN AIR is issued free to Air Quality
Members and Representatives of
- Review and Assessment of Air Quality: NSCA ae
Members.
Response to DETR Consultation Paper
CLEAN AIR subscription: - Managing Air Quality in Paris 28
1997 - £27.00 1998 - £28.00
- Severe Smog Revisits London 30
Abstraction and quotation of matter
are permitted, except where stated,
Update 31
provided that due acknowledgements
are made.
Members' News 55
CLEAN AIR is printed and published
in England by the National Society
Books and Reports 35
for Clean Air and Environmental
Protection
136 North Street, Brighton BN1 1RG Future Events 36
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The National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection produces information, organises conferences and
training events, and campaigns on air pollution, noise and environmental protection issues. Founded in 1899, the
Society's work on smoke control led to the Clean Air Acts. More recently NSCA has been influential in developing
thinking on integrated pollution control, noise legislation, and air quality management.
NSCA's membership is largely made up of organisations with a direct involvement in environmental protection:
industry, local authorities, universities and colleges, professional institutions, environmental consultancies and
regulatory agencies. Individual membership is also available to environmental specialists within industry, local
authorities, central government, technical, academic and institutional bodies.
Members benefit from joining a unique network of individuals who share an interest in a realistic approach to
environmental protection policy; from access to up-to-date and relevant information; from reduced fees at NSCA
conferences and training events. They contribute to NSCA's regional and national activities; to environmental policy
development; to translating policy into practice; to the Society's wide-ranging educational programmes.
2 CLEAN AIR VOL: 285No.1
NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CLEAN AIR
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(Founded 1899)
Registered Charity, Number 221026
PRESIDENT
Sir Crispin Tickell GCMG, KCVO
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Professor Dame Barbara Clayton DBE
VICE-PRESIDENTS
Mr. A. Bennett MP; Mr. K. Collins MEP; The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Cranbrook DSc, DL; Dr. R.N. Crossett;
Mr W. David MEP; Mr. J. Edmonds; Dr. C. Jackson MEP;
Air Commodore J. Langston CBE; Professor The Lord Lewis KT, FRS;
Professor R. Macrory; Sir John Mason CB, DSc, FRS; The Rt. Hon. Lord Nathan; Mr. S. Norris; Mr. D. Osborn;
Mr. L. Poole BEM, JP; Sir Hugh Rossi; Mr. J. Speirs; Mr. G. Wardell; The Baroness Platt of Writtle CBE, DL, FEng
CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL
Clir J. Carr
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL
Mr. P Cooney
DEPUTY CHAIRMEN OF COUNCIL
Alderman Mrs L. Solkhon, K.Horton
HONORARY TREASURER
Mr. A. Rees
SECRETARY GENERAL
Mr. R. Mills
Honorary Secretaries of NSCA Divisions
Scottish Division: Tom McDonald - Telephone: [phone]
c/o Glasgow City Council, Environmental Services Dept, House 2, Floor 9, 20 India Street, Glasgow G2 4PF
Northern Ireland Division: Mervyn Fleming - Telephone: [phone]
67 Kilwarlin Road, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6EA
Northern Division: Keith Atkinson - Telephone: [phone]
4 Berriedale Drive, Darlington, Co. Durham DL1 3TD
North West Division: Neil Turner - Telephone: [phone]
45 Down Green Road, Harwood, Bolton BL2 3QD
Yorkshire & Humberside Division: Frank Price - Telephone: [phone]
Environmental Manager, Sheffield City Council, Town Hall Chambers, 1 Barkers Pool, Sheffield S1 1EN
West Midlands Division: John Sweetland - Telephone: [phone]
Environmental Health Services, Wrekin Council, Civic Offices, PO Box 214, Telford TF3 4LE
East Midlands & Eastern Divisions: Dr. Bill Pearce - Telephone: [phone], ext. 3139
Environmental Health Services, Mansfield DC, Civic Centre, Chesterfield Road South, Mansfield, Notts NG19 7BH
South East Division: Joe Beagle - Telephone: [phone]
19 Oxgate Gardens, Brent, London NW2 6EA
South West Division: Peter Gendle - Telephone: [phone]
Environmental Services & Housing, North Somerset Council, PO Box 143, Town Hall, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 LAE
South & Mid Wales Division: Robert West - Telephone: [phone]
1 Glynn Collen, Llandbradach, Caerphilly, Glamorgan CF83 3PP
CLEAN AIR VOL.28, No.j1°3
Making a Noise about Noise
Despite its image as something of a cinderella pollutant, there are few environmental problems which
cause quite the same level of social conflict as that of noise pollution. Intrusion and annoyance all too
often spill over into confrontation, aggression and direct physical violence. And, as we know, all too
often it's the noise sufferer or an environmental health officer who bears the brunt. Almost a third of
local authorities responding to a recent NSCA survey reported that their officers had been threatened
with violence, and 5% had actually been attacked, whilst dealing with noise complaints last year.
Other impacts of noise are perhaps less dramatic but none the less equally worrying. Although the
-~medical evidence on the acute health effects remains equivocal, there is good evidence that
environmental noise is a stressor which interferes with sleep and cognitive performance, and which
damages reading comprehension and memory in children.
With local authorities recording a record 164,000 noise complaints with the CIEH in 1995/96 - a
24% annual increase when calculated on a complaints per million basis - there is little to suggest that
the current high level of social conflict and environmental degradation resulting from noise pollution
is about to decline.
However, despite this bleak background of rapidly increasing noise complaints, there are signs that
we may be entering a new more positive phase in the development of noise policy.
This themed issue of Clean Air therefore reviews a number of these developments. Some of which
were first reported at the NSCA's September training seminar Noise Update 1997.
Following implementation of the Noise Act 1996, Patrick Williams of Southdowns Environmental
reports the findings of the DETR's baseline survey of local authorities handling and resolution of
domestic noise complaints. One of a series of studies which will underpin the Department's review of
the 1996 Act in two years' time.
Robert Heathcock of Winchester City Council provides a rather different slant on the
development of local authority noise services, which advocates a more pro-active customer orientated
_approach. At Winchester, imagination, flexibility and good management have actually resulted in a
decrease in noise complaints to the authority.
Angela Eagle MP, the Under-Secretary of State with the DETR, makes it clear that noise issues
will form an important consideration in the development of the new Government's integrated
transport policy - an area where the UK's record bears poor comparison with many of our more
progressive European partners. The Minister also provides a useful update on the DETR's noise
research programme. This includes further details of the new DETR/DoH joint research initiative
into the effects of noise on health, announced at Noise Update 1997.
Finally, the NSCA's Policy Officer Dr Malcolm Eames reviews the drivers pushing environmental
noise up the policy agenda, both here in the UK and across the European Union as a whole. In so
doing he draws particular attention to the possible synergies with local air quality management; the
potential of noise mapping to provide a more effective basis for policy; industrial noise and IPPC;
and the need for effective action on transport noise.
4 CLEAN AIR VOL. 28, No. 1
UK Priorities for Noise Policy
Angela Eagle MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department of the Environment,
Transport & the Regions
This paper, presented at NSCA's Noise Update Seminar held in September, focusses on environmental noise; broadly
that is noise other than in the workplace. It explains the Government's objectives with regard to environmental noise
and looks in particular at two issues, transport noise and neighbour noise.
We have all experienced the intrusiveness of noise. It is a For most people, noise is the most immediate and most
feature of modern life that is all too difficult to avoid. I widely experienced negative impact of transport. Studies
know only too well from my own constituency advice carried out on our behalf by the Building Research
surgeries and the postbag that noise is a source of great Establishment in the early 1990s showed road traffic noise
annoyance and frustration to many people. was noticeable at over 90% of the 1,000 sites in England
and Wales where noise measurements were made. Aircraft
Noise, the researchers tell us, is not generally a life and
noise was heard at over 60% of sites and railway noise was
death issue. But it is, most definitely, a quality of life issue.
heard at over 15% of the sites. Although road traffic noise
A national noise attitude survey conducted in 1991
is heard by many more people than any other source of
suggested that one in three people considered that
noise, a relatively small proportion of complaints focus on
environmental noise spoiled their home life to some extent.
it. Many more people complain about noisy neighbours.
One per cent said their home life was totally spoiled by
We might conclude from this that people find noisy
noise. We should be listening to these real concerns
neighbours more of a nuisance than noisy traffic. But this
seriously.
ignores the fact that noisy neighbours can be identified, and
We know that excessive and prolonged noise can so - either directly or through their local authority - people
damage hearing. But this is usually an occupational or may be able to get the noise stopped. On the other hand, the
recreational problem. Environmental noise is seldom loud anonymity of the source of traffic noise may discourage
enough to damage your hearing. But there is evidence that complaints.
in addition to annoyance, noise at lower levels can give rise
I have mentioned two surveys which were undertaken
to a range of mental and physical effects as a result of
in the early 1990s. One looked at attitudes to environmental
interruption of sleep and concentration. In the long term
noise and the other the incidence and types of
this might lead to stress related illnesses and cardiovascular
environmental noise. Clearly we need to know whether the
problems. It certainly causes misery and anxiety. This
situation has changed, especially given the continuing
means we should tryt o avoid increases in environmental
growth in road traffic and the inexorable growth in
noise wherever possible, and take active measures to
complaints of neighbour noise. My Department is therefore
reduce existing noise levels where they are disrupting
about to commission new surveys funded from our noise
people's lives.
research programme. The aim is to get a better picture of
The Government's overall objective is therefore to trends in the noise climate and attitudes to it.
promote and encourage current measures and new
We also recognise the need to take seriously the
initiatives to reduce the proportion of the population
proposition that in the longer term a noisy environment
experiencing excessive noise. We must aim to improve the
may have adverse effects on health. We have been working
quality of the local environment and to minimise health
closely with colleagues in the Department of Health on this
risks posed by environmental noise. To achieve these aims,
question. In May, my Department, together with the
we will continue to promote and encourage the broadest
Department of Health, sponsored a working group of
range of measures and initiatives to reduce noise at source
and increase the effectiveness of remedies for noise experts - from this country and abroad - in the field of
health effects of environmental noise. They concluded that
problems.
exposure to environmental noise can be a source of
The.Government plays a key role - first in quantifying annoyance and can lead to sleep disturbance in some
and assessing noise problems; second encouraging, by people. Experts are concerned about the possible health
regulation, guidance and other means, the reduction of effects of environmental noise but there is no clear cut
noise at source; and third enabling the provision of evidence either proving direct long term effects, or
effective remedies for noise sufferers.
discounting them. This expert group recommended further
CLEAN AIR VOL. 28, No. 1 5
research work was needed. In the light of this, my There has also been encouraging progress nationally in
Department and the Department of Health are planning to reducing railway noise, through the introduction of electric
undertake a joint programme of research to explore further locomotives and lighter, and therefore quieter, freight
the possible links between health and environmental noise. wagons. The greater use of continuously welded rail also
Our intention is to earmark around £600,000 of the two has significant environmental benefits for those living near
Departments’ research budgets over the next three years. railway lines. Railway noise insulation regulations
We are still finalising the arrangements but we hope to be introduced in 1995 place a duty on railway authorities to
seeking expressions of interest from potential researchers offer insulation when noise from new or substantially
later in the year. altered railway lines exceeds specific levels. These
regulations are designed to offer equity of treatment
You may be familiar with the projection of a 4.4
between people living near new railway lines and people
million increase in households by the year 2016. This
living near new roads, who have enjoyed the benefit of
Government, like the last, is committed to creating as many
similar regulations since 1973.
homes as possible in urban areas, to protect the countryside
from further erosion. But most available urban brown field Many people prefer noise barriers to sound insulation of
sites were formerly industrial or commercial premises. their homes. Noise barriers are used increasingly as a
They were often built close to rail corridors, main roads, means of controlling noise from both roads and railways.
airports and other noisy areas. Shutting out the noise with Effective barriers can bring greater community benefits
double glazing often means shutting out the fresh air and than insulation by reducing ambient noise levels over a
worsening indoor air quality. In the long term it will make wide area. The Highways Agency has an ongoing
more sense to improve the attractiveness of our towns and programme of research into the performance and cost-
cities, and to tackle the local environmental problems, effectiveness of different materials and designs of noise
rather than to try and shut noise out by turning homes into barrier.
fortresses against the outside world. This represents a major
Road bypasses, controversial as they may be, can
challenge in both design and build.
improve the quality of life in many of our towns and
Transport Noise villages. In many places local authorities can manage
traffic by routing it around sensitive places like shopping
The first opportunity to deal with noise problems is often at
and residential areas. Traffic calming techniques may have
the planning stage. All major road, rail and airport
a part to play in this process. One of the objectives of
proposals are subject to environmental impact assessments.
integrated transport policies will be to ensure that steps to
Noise will be one of the major considerations. And there
minimise noise, are included alongside those to control air
are plenty of examples where partnership of action between
pollution and improve road safety.
central and local government, and industry is bringing real
benefits in terms of preventing and reducing transport noise There is no single solution to the complexities of road
at source. and rail noise. Our aim will be to promote a range of
options which are appropriate to different circumstances.
Action at national and European level to reduce noise
These could include tighter vehicle specifications; there
from road vehicles has been very successful. It has been a
may also be scope for the use of economic instruments
significant factor in ensuring that, in spite of the growth in
which might reflect the external environmental costs of
traffic volume, there was noo verall increase in noise levels
transport.
in England and Wales between the major national surveys
of noise exposure carried out in 1972 and 1990. We cannot, I have not yet touched on aviation. The Government
however, rely on further reductions in engine noise to will continue a two pronged approach to controlling aircraft
balance further traffic growth and thus ensure a stable noise noise. First it is pressing, in the International Civil Aviation
climate. The manufacturers tell us that they are Organisation's Committee on Aviation Environmental
approaching the limit of what the technology will allow, Protection and other international fora, the case for more
without making major shifts to new, quieter forms of stringent controls. Secondly, it is using guidance on and
propulsion. This makes it especially important to continue regulation of the operational determinants of noise on the
to develop other measures to prevent noise problems. ground. A balance has to be struck between the interests of
the airlines and their passengers and of those on the ground
As further reductions in engine noise become difficult,
who have to live with aircraft noise. Many of you will be
attention has shifted to the noise generated at the interface
familiar with the Munich airport study which showed that
of tyres and road surfaces. Already at speeds over 30 mph
aircraft noise can have an effect on children's cognitive
road surface noise exceeds engine noise in most cases. The
development. The recent New Scientist report on JFK
Government is taking forward further research in this area.
airport added to these findings. The Government is
However, there seems to be considerable scope for sharing
studying this research, and will consider commissioning
experience with other countries to help us make progress
further research should this be necessary.
here.
6 CLEAN AIR VOL. 28, No. 1
This Government, however, is responding to calls from almost a year ago. On the new offence, there has been
business and the public for stronger action to reduce the much debate about the low number of authorities which are
environmental impacts of transport and for more effective planning to adopt it.
measures to reduce congestion. There is growing demand
The Department had always assumed that take-up
for improvements in the quality of life. This has resulted in
would be gradual and that many authorities would take the
calls for policies to reduce the growth of road _ traffic,
view that it was not appropriate to their area. We have
especially if this can be achieved without compromising
emphasised that this is very much an additional weapon in
economic growth. Such policies are most likely to be
the fight against the noisy neighbour. Having an objective
effected where congestion is worst.
standard is a novel approach to this difficult area. We have
Sustainable transport policy involves addressing the therefore undertaken to review the workings and take up of
need for access to services while at the same time meeting the offence in two years time. We aim not only to look at
the requirements of social and environmental protection. how the new offence has been working in practice, but also
The Government believes that the best way of reconciling how, in the meantime, local authorities have been
these competing objectives is through an integrated developing their services. I suggest that the real
transport policy, and on 5 June the Deputy Prime Minister performance indicator is whether people are getting a better
announced that he was launching a fundamental review of noise service and are getting their valid complaints about
transport policy to achieve that. The intention is to publish noise effectively dealt with. The Noise Act may prove an
a White Paper in Spring 1998 which addresses the issues invaluable weapon in some circumstances.
raised both by the key transport modes and by their
Anti-Social Behaviour
interactions with the wider economy and the environment.
The Government is quite clear that to be successful, We are also committed to tackling anti-social behaviour
transport policy has to be integrated, not just at a national more generally. We plan to introduce new legislation in the
level, but also at a local and regional level. Crime and Disorder Bill to tackle threatening and criminal
behaviour by neighbours. Included amongst these powers
Neighbour Noise
will be the introduction of "Community Safety Orders".
I have concentrated so far on transport noise, but as I said These powers will enable local authorities, along with the
earlier, we know that people actually complain more about police, to apply to the Courts for an Order restricting the
the noise made by their neighbours. Recently the Chartered behaviour of individuals who engage in the sort of
Institute of Environmental Health published its latest disorderly behaviour that can, if unchecked, lead to worse
statistics on domestic noise complaints. These showed a and increasing crime. An Order will be addressed to a
24% increase in 1995-96 compared to the previous year. I named individual and focus on specific behaviour that has
am not sure that I agree with the Chartered Institute's caused innocent people distress or fear. I could give you
conclusion that the increase is due to unrealistic plenty of examples of that - it is all too common these days.
expectations of the noise climate. Just because so few
My Department is continuing to implement the
complaints actually result in cases being taken to court does
outstanding parts of the Housing Act 1996 which concern
not mean that complaints are not justified. This is another
anti-social behaviour in the limited context of social
area where further work is needed. I hope that the research
housing. New powers for local authorities to seek
work which we are commissioning will begin to shed some
injunctions to combat nuisance by non-tenants and visitors
light on the issue of complaints and their resolution.
to an estate came into force on 1 September 1997. One of
It is perhaps only in the last few years that the the effects of these new powers will be to make it possible
importance of tackling neighbour noise has been for a power of arrest to be attached to those injunctions and
appreciated, as the level of complaints has been rising. to injunctions taken out against tenants who breach their
There was a clear need for improved guidance. In February tenancy agreements, where violence has occurred or has
1997, the CIEH issued its Good Practice Guidance for the been threatened. Although these powers are focussed on
management of noise management policies and practices. anti-social behaviour, they are clearly of great relevance
Separately they issued jointly with the Association of Chief where noise is part of the problem and where neighbours
Police Officers, a good practice guide on police/local are intimidated or threatened. Again, the two often go hand
authority co-operation. in hand.
Noise Act 1996 EC Green Paper
We have also seen the implementation of the Noise Act I should also mention briefly the recent European Green
1996. This clarified the law on confiscating equipment used Paper on the future of noise policy. The UK has welcomed
in a noise offence and introduced a new offence of making warmly the recent opportunity to participate in a wider
excessive noise at night from domestic premises. On the debate about environmental noise and its effects. We also
first of these, I understand authorities have been making welcomed the Commission's proposal to assess the costs
good use of the powers since they were made available and benefits of a combination of instruments to reduce
CLEAN AIR VOL. 28, No. 1 7
noise from road, rail and air. And we acknowledge the which needs access to efficient transport systems, will need
Community's traditional and successful role in reducing to look at ways of greening its transport use to reduce
noise emissions from vehicles, equipment and machinery. environmental impacts. And most important of course is
However there were concerns about the potential costs and the public. They are major users, but also potential
benefits in this area. sufferers. Their behaviour and choices will dictate the
shape of the balance to be struck. And if policy makers and
The Government agrees that more work is required in
practitioners get the balance wrong the users and sufferers
terms of research and exchange of information. We look
will make that clear - however much we think we are the
forward to participating fully in discussions of the technical
experts.
feasibility, and costs and benefits of further reductions in
road vehicle engine noise levels, and the consideration of Conclusion
proposals for reducing noise at the road surface. However,
I should not forget our hosts today, the National Society for
as with our own domestic research, we would need to be
Clean Air and Environmental Protection. We value the
reassured that any proposals for noise reduction from this
work of the Society and we grant aid the work of its
source would not be at the expense of road safety.
Information Service which provides invaluable advice and
While the UK Government recognises the benefits of help. We also provided some financial support to enable the
developing a mix of noise reduction measures when information pack on Noise Awareness Day to be produced
regulating modes of transport, this has to be balanced and dispatched by the Society.
against its impact on the cost of railway travel in particular.
I have tried to set out the context in which the
It would be a mistake, clearly, to discourage greater use of
Government will be developing its policies on noise. At the
railways which are less polluting and more efficient, in
end of the day this Government will be faced, like all those
many instances, than road transport.
before it, with the limitations of technological fixes; with
Technological innovation will be a help but not a the high cost of physical amelioration; and with the
panacea in dealing with noise and other transport related growing public demand for action. Ministers are alert to the
environmental problems. Equally important will be issue and its importance. The debate which will follow here
concerted action by key players. Central and local today, and similar debates elsewhere; the decisions taken in
government should seek to regulate and facilitate but are the EC and in other international fora; and the importance
less likely to fund. The construction and manufacturing the public attach to noise control will all be useful
industry and the private sector generally is increasingly contributions.
likely to provide the infrastructure. Business in general,
Future Research on Environmental Noise being undertaken by the DETR
The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) has been reviewing its research programme
on environmental noise and some key new projects are about to start (see below).
Commenting on the new projects, Environment Minister, Angela Eagle said: "since my speech at the National Society
for Clean Air seminar on 16 September, I am happy to say that our programme of research on environmental noise is
now actively being taken forward. A number of projects are planned for the coming months which will inform our
~ decision making in a number of noise policy areas. In particular, we are piloting two projects on noise incidence and
awareness which will lead to more extensive work in 1998-99. Our joint project with the Department of Health on the
effects of noise on health is also beginning to take shape".
Noise Standards and will shortly be letting a research contract for
completion within the financial year.
At present the UK Government has not set targets in
relation to environmental noise, although the issue of The project will consider existing information and look
differing noise exposure is recognised in planning guidance at noise levels that may have particular effects on the
( PPG No. 24). A number of organisations, including the population. The aim is to investigate the feasibility of
World Health Organisation, the European Commission and establishing effects-based standards which might be used to
the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution have inform the setting of objectives and targets. The analysis
suggested targets in relation to various types of will consider whether effects-based standards could be
environmental noise, i.e. noise other than occupational or established but will not take into account the practicability
leisure noise. of delivering such standards.
As part of its consideration of how policy might The detailed work will consider at which noise levels
develop in this area, DETR plans to explore the idea of there is a reported effect on a range of criteria. These will
effects-based standards for exposure to environmental noise include: temporary hearing loss, conversation disruption,
8 CLEAN AIR VOL. 28, No. 1
concentration diversion and sleep disturbance/awakening. detailed work will involve a review of the questionnaire
The review will also consider whether different sound used in the 1990-91 survey and the findings of a subsequent
levels are appropriate for different types of noise, as well as social survey in 1992. In order to decide whether any
how noise levels might be applied to degrees of annoyance. amendments to the questionnaire are necessary, there will
Factors accounting for responses to intermittent or be a number of focus group discussions. The findings of the
continuous noises and to the tonal qualities of the noise will group discussions will be used to inform the content and
also be taken into account. design of the new questionnaire which will be used in the
national survey. Care will be taken to ensure that there is
Noise Incidence Survey
sufficient commonality with the 1990-91 national survey to
In 1990-91, the Department funded a noise incidence permit meaningful comparisons between surveys.
survey to establish the noise climate outside homes in
A further reason for piloting both the Incidence and
England and Wales. The noise environment was measured
Awareness studies is to explore the potential for linking the
for a 24 hour period outside each of 1,000 sites chosen to
results of the future national surveys. This could yield
be representative of the population. Building Research
valuable insights into attitudes to noise at particular levels.
Establishment (BRE) Information Paper IP 21/93
summarised the findings of this survey. BRE has been engaged as the Department's contractors
on the pilot study for the Noise Incidence survey and the
The Department has decided to repeat this work
preview study for the Noise Awareness study. They are
through a new National Noise Incidence Survey to be
expected to report to the Department before April 1998.
undertaken during 1998-99. A key aim is to enable
The contracts for the National Noise Incidence survey and
comparisons to be made with the previous survey to
the Noise Awareness survey will be let by the Department
determine whether the noise climate has significantly
in 1998-99.
changed over the past few years.
Survey of Local Authority Noise Surveys
Before the National Incidence Survey is commenced, a
pilot study will be carried out. This pilot study will be used Over recent years there have been a number of surveys into
to determine whether the full survey should use the same the provision of noise services by local authorities and their
measurement sites as before, the same site methodology but effectiveness. Apart from the annual Chartered Institute of
different sites, or a modified methodology based on revised Environmental Health (CIEH) postal survey and the recent
objectives. The study will also review advances in NSCA postal survey, the Department itself has
instrumentation since the 1990-91 survey and advise on the commissioned two research projects - one by BRE to
appropriate criteria and the type of measurements to be examine resolution of domestic noise complaints, and the
made. other by Southdowns Environmental Ltd which provided
baseline information for a future review of the take up of
The pilot report will then review the lessons learnt and
the new night noise offence (see separate article in this
indicate the most appropriate way forward for the main
Clean Air). However, these surveys have each used
survey.
different questionnaires and methodologies and enjoyed
Noise Awareness Survey differing response rates.
The Department funded a noise awareness survey in The Department therefore intends to let a research
England and Wales in 1990-91 to establish the effect of contract, for completion within this financial year, that will
environmental noise on people in their homes. The initial review these four surveys. The aim is to establish the
research, based on group discussions, had two aims: common features and areas and where they diverge. The
work will then go on to consider how surveys of local
* to establish how people at home react to environmental
noise, and authority noise services might be better undertaken in
future, bearing in mind the desirability for comparability
* to understand precisely what people mean when they
with existing data and the Government commitment to
describe their reactions to noise.
review the provisions of the night noise offence in 1999-
The findings were then used to design a questionnaire 2000,
for a national survey of attitudes to noise. BRE Information
Audible Intruder Alarms
Paper IP 22/93 summarised the findings of this work. This
Since 1982, the Code of Practice on Noise from Audible
work is to be repeated through a new national Noise
Intruder Alarms has provided guidance on the installation
Awareness Survey to be carried out in 1998-99. Again the
and operation of alarms to minimise misfiring and to
aim is to compare the present situation with the previous
work. facilitate their disarming with the minimum of difficulty.
Where alarms misfire and the keyholder cannot be
Before the National Awareness Survey is carried out
contracted, local authorities in England can use Statutory
there will be a preview study of the questionnaire. The
Nuisance powers in Part IV of the Environmental