Transport noise sources and solutions

Noise homepage

Traffic noise stems from various components and processes in vehicles. Sources of road noise can be divided into propulsion noise (engine, powertrain, exhaust and intake systems) aerodynamic noise, and rolling noise which stems from the contact between tyres and the road surface. Railway noise can be divided into sub-sources including traction, aerodynamic and rolling noise.

A local problem…

Traffic noise campaign groups are usually established around a single issue, such as a new road, railway link or airport runway. At the moment, local or municipal authorities, and therefore taxpayers, usually end up footing the bill for noise remediation. Noise barriers, walls and insulation are hugely expensive and only ease the problem for those behind the wall or in protected buildings. Meanwhile, traffic is increasing, and on the roads there is a trend for more powerful and louder vehicles.

Complementary local noise prevention measures could include: Environmental zones or Low Emission Zones (access restrictions for heavy/noisy vehicles), nighttime driving or flight bans, reduced speed limits and transport demand management including the promotion of (quiet) public/collective transport, cycling and walking. These measures are also beneficial in term of reduced air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, accidents and infrastructure wear.

… with European solutions

As with air pollution emissions, the EU can set Europe-wide standards to improve the noise performance of vehicles. Reducing noise at its source is proven to be a very effective measure. Strict standards would mean that all new vehicles would become quieter, so the benefits would be heard on every road or railway. European Union noise policy includes noise emission limits in the type approval procedures for tyres, motor vehicles and international trains, which should be periodically tightened in order to reduce the number of people exposed to noise levels which could have detrimental effects on health or wellbeing. The 6th Environmental Action Plan states that these measures regulating noise emissions from products should be supplemented and further improved [1].

The Noise Innovation Programme of the Dutch government (IPG) has calculated that for every decibel of noise reduction from the sources will save €100million in expenditure on remediation solutions such as noise barriers and sound insulation for buildings. [2] This figure only takes into account major interurban raods and railways. In reality, the savings would be even greater as the noise reduction from source measures would also benefit all regions and urban areas.

The European Union is committed to the polluter pays principle. The costs imposed on society by traffic should therefore be borne by the users, rather than by residents, local authorities, or health services. Over the coming year, the Commission will examine how to include these costs in transport prices, by charging for the use of transport infrastructure. The impacts of traffic noise must be included (along with air pollution, climate change impacts, accidents and congestion) in the cost base of charging for the use of roads, railways and airports, thereby permitting the cost of noise abatement to be passed on to the users.

Links

For more information on all the existing Community legislation relating to sources of environmental noise, please refer to the 2004 Report from the Commission on that topic. 

European Commission:

• Directorate-General Environment noise homepage
• Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry automotive regulation page
• Directorate-General Energy and Transport rail interoperability and noise page

European Environment Agency:

• Noise homepage
• TERM Reports (Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism), annual indicator reports, including exposure to and annoyance by traffic noise

EU research projects:

• CALM network
• CALM database

Source abatement measures:

• SILENCE(R) (aircraft noise)
• SILVIA (low noise road surfaces)
• STAIRRS (railway) 
• RATIN (tyres)
• FEHRL report on tyre/road noise (2006) - Report and Annexes
• Q-CITY (urban transport noise)
• SILENCE (urban transport noise)

Economic assessment of noise reduction:

• ExternE Methodology on internalizing the external costs of energy and transport
• UNITE project on pricing of transport infrastructure use
• RED database of external costs, including transport

Noise abatement:

• HEAVEN (2000-2002): Healthier Environment through the Abatement of Vehicle Emissions and Noise
• ROTRANOMO project (2002-2004): addressed the lack of detailed information (with respect to fleet composition, vehicle performance, temporal variations in traffic conditions and source contributions) provided by existing noise perception models
• X2-Noise, on aircraft noise

References

[1] 6th Environmental Action Programme of the European Community 2002-2012, Article 7.1
[2] Dutch Noise Innovation Programme (IPG)