Presenting Noise Mapping

Information to the Public

A Position Paper from the European Environment Agency Working Group on
the Assessment of Exposure to Noise (WG-AEN)

March 2008

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A Position Paper of the European Environment Agency Working Group on the Assessment of Exposure
to Noise

Presenting Noise Mapping Information to the

Public
1 INTRODUCTION TO AND PURPOSE OF THIS POSITION
PAPER 3
2 RELEVANT REQUIREMENTS OF THE END 5
2.1 Deadlines 5
2.2 Information to and consultation with the public. 5
3 WORKSHOP ON PRESENTING NOISE MAPPING DATA TO
THE PUBLIC HELD ON 5TH OCTOBER 2006 IN LONDON 6
4 IMPORTANT ISSUES ARISING FROM THE WORKSHOP
AND WG-AEN’S RESPONSES TO THESE ISSUES 8
4.1 What do we want back from the public? 8
4.2 How should strategic noise mapping be linked to the action planning
process? 8
4.3 What type of information and what level of detail should be provided
to the public? 9
4.4 Overall outcome of the Workshop 10
5 WG-AEN’S TECHNICAL IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR
THE TYPE OF INFORMATION AND THE LEVEL OF
DETAIL TO BE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC 10
5.1 General 10
5.2 Presentation of the maps and associated data at local level 11
5.3 Presentation of the maps and associated data at national level 22
6 COMMUNICATION STRATEGY FOR MAKING MAPS AND
ASSOCIATED DATA AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC 24
7 LINKS WITH OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 24
8 Membership of WG-AEN 25
9 Appendix 1 – The Environmental Noise Directive 26
10 Appendix 2 – The Directive on Public Access to Environmental
Information 51
11 Appendix 3 - Workshop on Presenting Noise Mapping Data to the
Public 61

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 A Position Paper of the European Environment Agency Working Group on the Assessment of Exposure
to Noise

1 INTRODUCTION TO AND PURPOSE OF THIS POSITION PAPER

1.1 Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25

June 2002 relating to the assessment and management of environmental
noise is commonly known as the Environmental Noise Directive and
hereinafter is referred to as the ‘END’. The END, which is reproduced in full
in Appendix 1 1 of this Position Paper, requires Member States to undertake
strategic noise mapping. It also refers to legislation regarding access to the
information from strategic noise maps, since it requires “that the strategic
noise maps … are made available and disseminated to the public in
accordance with relevant Community legislation … and in conformity with
Annex IV … to this Directive” (see Article 9.1 and Annex IV of the END).

1.2 The Aarhus Convention2 has established the right of everyone to receive
environmental information held by public authorities (“access to
environmental information”). The parties to this important Convention,
including all European Union (EU) Member States, are required to make the
necessary provisions so that public authorities at national, regional or local
level ensure that this right is upheld.

1.3 In line with the Aarhus Convention, the European Parliament and the
Council adopted Directive 2003/4/EC, which is reproduced in full in
Appendix 2 of this document. This act of adoption repealed Council
Directive 90/313/EEC, which is referred to in Article 9.1 of the END, and
transposed into EU law the rights established by this Convention.

1.4 Both the END (Article 9) and Directive 2003/4/EC establish two distinct
aspects with regard to informing the public; (1) the availability of information
upon request, and (2) the active and systematic dissemination of information
to the public. It should be noted that this Position Paper focuses on the
second of these aspects.

1.5 In respect of this, WG-AEN believes that there are two main purposes for
developing effective strategies for the presentation of noise mapping
information:

Purpose 1 is to inform the public of the results of strategic noise mapping at

local and national level and at the same time explain how this information
relates to them.

1
In Appendix 1, the sections of the END which are most relevant to this Position Paper have been
highlighted.
2
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/aarhus/index.htm

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Purpose 2 is to start to engage the public in the process of developing

action plans since these plans should be based on the results of the
strategic noise maps and should in particular apply to the most important
areas as established by the maps. The purpose of these action plans is to
prevent and reduce environmental noise, where necessary and particularly
where exposure levels can induce harmful effects on human health, and to
preserve environmental noise quality where it is good, for example in so-
called quiet areas (see Articles 1.1c and 8.1 of the END).

1.6 For the purposes of this Position Paper the public shall mean the general
public as defined in Article 3(v) of the END3 and not other interested parties
and stakeholder groups e.g. technicians, transport engineers, politicians,
planners, estate agents, housing landlords and property developers.
However, WG-AEN recognises that the engagement of these interested
parties and stakeholder groups may be crucial to the process of the
development of effective action plans on noise and that many of these
groups may need more detailed and more technical information than that
normally provided to the general public.

1.7 This Position Paper contains ideas and suggestions that have been
developed by WG-AEN which are intended to provide help, guidance and
advice on good practice and associated strategies for presenting noise
mapping information to the public at local and national levels for the
purposes identified in section 1.5.

1.8 Many of these ideas and suggestions have been developed from
presentations that were made and discussions that were held at the
“Workshop on Presenting Noise Mapping Data to the Public” that took place
in London in October 2006.

1.9 This Position Paper only deals with the presentation of strategic noise
mapping and related information at local and national level as required by
the END (see Article 9). It does not address the presentation of such
information at European level.

1.10 Finally, it is emphasised that this Position Paper does not address the
production of strategic noise maps, but merely how strategic noise maps
and associated data may be presented and used to engage the public in the
early stages of the action planning process.

Disclaimer: This Position Paper is not a Commission paper and is not legally binding. It
contains technical ideas and suggestions, developed by a group of experts working on
the assessment of exposure to noise, on how to inform the public of the results of
strategic noise mapping and hence engage them in the early stages of action planning.
It is emphasised that in this respect it is only the text and requirements of the END and
of the Directive 2003/4/EC on access to environmental information that are legally
binding at Community level.

3
'The public' shall mean one or more natural or legal persons and, in accordance with national legislation or practice,
their associations, organisations or groups.

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2 RELEVANT REQUIREMENTS OF THE END

2.1 Deadlines
The END requires that Member States ensure that a first round of strategic
noise mapping is completed by 30th June 2007 (see Article 7.1). It also requires
that a first round of noise action plans are drawn up by 18th July 2008 and that
these address certain priorities and apply in particular to the most important
areas as established by strategic noise mapping (see Article 8.1). In addition,
Member States shall ensure that the information from strategic noise maps is
sent to the commission by 30th December 2007 (see Article 10.2 of the END).
There is no deadline in the END for informing the public on the results of
strategic noise mapping but this is addressed by the requirements of Directive
2003/4/EC (see Appendix 2, Articles 3 and 7).

2.2 Information to and consultation with the public.

In Recital 12 to the END it is stated that:

“In order to have a wide spread of information to the public, the most
appropriate information channels should be selected.”

Also,”ensuring that information on environmental noise and its effects is made

available to the public” is one of the key objectives of the END (see Article 1(b)
of the END).

Elaborating on this, Article 9.1 of the END states that:

“Member States shall ensure that the strategic noise maps they have made,
and where appropriate adopted, and the action plans they have drawn up are
made available and disseminated to the public in accordance with Community
legislation, in particular Council Directive 90/313/EEC of 7 June 19901 on the
freedom of access to information on the environment, and in conformity with
Annexes IV and V to this Directive, including by means of available information
technologies”.

In Article 9.2 of the END it is required that:

“This information shall be clear, comprehensible and accessible. A summary

setting out the most important points shall be provided.”

In addition to these obligations, Annex IV of the END sets out minimum

requirements for strategic noise maps.

The following paragraphs of this Annex are particularly relevant to the

presentation of the strategic noise maps to the public.

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- paragraph 3 stipulating that "strategic noise maps for agglomerations shall put
a special emphasis on the noise emitted by road traffic, rail traffic, airports,
industrial activity sites including ports";

- paragraph 4 setting out that strategic noise mapping shall be used as a

"source of information for citizens in accordance with Article 9 of the END";

- paragraph 6 indicating that the citizen must be given additional and more
detailed information (additional and more detailed to that sent to the
Commission), such as:

“- a graphical presentation,

- maps disclosing the exceeding of a limit value,

- difference maps, in which the existing situation is compared with

various possible future situations,

- maps showing the value of a noise indicator at a height other than 4 m

where appropriate.”

- paragraph 6 indicating also that “The Member States may lay down rules on
the types and format of these maps.”

- paragraph 7 stating that "strategic noise maps for local (…) application must
be made for an assessment height of 4 meters and the 5 dB ranges of Lden
and Lnight as defined in Annex VI."

3 WORKSHOP ON PRESENTING NOISE MAPPING DATA TO THE

PUBLIC HELD ON 5TH OCTOBER 2006 IN LONDON
In October 2006 WG-AEN, with support from the UK Government, convened a
workshop on ‘Presenting Noise Mapping Data to the Public’. The purpose was
to facilitate a debate on how best to present noise mapping data to the public
and other stakeholders in order to inform them and to actively engage them in
the start of the process of developing action plans. This workshop, which was
held in London, provided an opportunity to share experiences, to learn about
presentation techniques and to discuss possible presentation strategies at local
and national level. The presentations given by experts from across Europe, and
the results of subsequent group discussions, have formed an important basis
for this WG-AEN Position Paper. The presentations, which contain examples of
good practice in presenting noise mapping data to the public and other
stakeholders, are available at the following website:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/events/index.htm.

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The reports on the group discussions that took place at the workshop are
provided in Appendix 3 of this Position Paper.

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4 IMPORTANT ISSUES ARISING FROM THE WORKSHOP AND WG-

AEN’S RESPONSES TO THESE ISSUES

4.1 What do we want back from the public?

Before deciding what information is presented to the public and how it is to be
presented it is necessary to consider what level of engagement is being sought.

In response, WG-AEN believes that when informing the public (see Purpose
1 in section 1.5) their interest must be secured. To achieve this there is a need
to raise awareness and understanding of environmental noise exposure and its
effects as requested by Article 1 of the END. It may also be appropriate to
inform the public about the concepts and potential benefits of quiet areas at this
stage and to ensure that the public appreciate that they are not only the
receivers of environmental noise but often they are also the producers.

WG-AEN also believes that when engaging the public (see Purpose 2 in
section 1.5) they need to be provided with the opportunity to become involved
and actively engaged in the process of action planning. To achieve this level of
engagement it will be important to show the public that significant reductions in
the impact of environmental noise can be achieved, particularly in the longer
term. The Commission website on noise4 and the latest CALM II Strategy Paper
‘Research for a Quieter Europe in 2020’ dated September 20075 provide useful
information in this respect. When presenting noise mapping information, it may
be useful to explain to the public that EU law acknowledges the need for
complementary actions by all administrative levels (European Community,
Member States and local authorities) to achieve agreement on the noise
problems and possible solutions.

4.2 How should strategic noise mapping be linked to the action planning
process?
In respect of strategic noise maps, the END firstly requires the mapping results
to be made available and disseminated to the public. The public must also be
consulted about the proposals for action plans which should be based on the
results of strategic noise mapping and include information derived from the
strategic noise maps. Annex V states the minimum requirements of the END
applicable to the action plans in addition to the other requirements set out for
action plans in Articles 1(c), 8 and 9. In summary:

• action plans must be prepared on the basis of strategic noise mapping

results;

4
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/noise/home.htm
5
http://www.calm-network.com/index_stratpap.htm

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• action plans must be adopted "with a view to preventing and reducing

environmental noise where necessary and particularly where exposure
levels can induce harmful effects on human health and to preserving
environmental noise quality where it is good".

• action plans must address most important areas as identified by strategic

noise maps; and

• action plans must, in addition to other information set out in Annex V,

include a summary of the results of the strategic noise mapping, an
evaluation of the number of people exposed, an identification of the
problems and situations that need to be improved.

In response, WG-AEN emphasises that the results of strategic noise mapping

have to be used to engage the public as a main stakeholder in the subsequent
action plan development process. In addition, WG-AEN believes that the public
need to be informed about the uses and limitations of the results of noise
mapping in order to ensure that their levels of expectation for the action
planning stage are realistic and can be managed. For example, the public may
need to be informed that although the implementation of the noise action plans
should, where necessary, reduce their noise exposure a limited availability of
funds could mean that this is likely to take time and would take place on a
prioritised basis. Also, the public may need to be made aware that in some
areas there may be a small increase in noise because of actions taken to
reduce noise in other areas. In some locations a new noise source may become
apparent simply because noise from other sources has been reduced.

WG-AEN also believes that it may be useful to ’test’ the public’s understanding
and acceptance of the noise maps before the development of detailed action
plans and, therefore, a mechanism to obtain some feedback from the public
may need to be set up. As it may not be practical to carry out such an exercise
in every area that is mapped, WG-AEN suggests that such ‘tests’ could be
carried out in some pilot areas.

4.3 What type of information and what level of detail should be provided to
the public?
Annex IV of the END sets out the minimum requirements for strategic noise
mapping. However, many members of the public will have little understanding of
noise and the use of decibels. Also, different groups e.g. school children or the
elderly, will need different levels and types of information.

In response, WG-AEN believes that the information provided needs to be

understandable and relevant to all sectors of the public to encourage
engagement and feedback. There is also a need to provide explanatory
information with the strategic maps which, in simple terms, explain decibels and
Lden and Lnight and what the noise maps show. For example: they show long-

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term averages for the most important sources of environmental noise, mainly
from transport and sites of major industrial activities, but they may not include
all types of noise, e.g. recreational noise, neighbour noise, some commercial
and industrial noise, vehicle horns etc.

In addition, with the publication of the noise maps there may be a need to:

• state that some people are more sensitive to noise than others e.g. different
groups may have different sensitivities;

• provide the public with information on how they can contribute to reducing
noise e.g. through their general behaviour, their use of transport and their
driving style;

• link the noise map results to quality standards e.g. the health effects of
noise exposure as published by the World Health Organisation (WHO)6 and
the effects of environmental noise in learning environments; and

• identify positive benefits of reducing noise, e.g. reducing noise levels may
increase property values.

Finally, it is recommended that those carrying out strategic noise mapping

check for the existence of any national rules on the types and formats of maps
which are produced for the purpose of informing the public, since laying down of
such rules is allowed by the END.

4.4 Overall outcome of the Workshop

As a result of this Workshop, WG-AEN believes that different levels and types
of information need to be presented to the public. WG-AEN’s suggestions
and ideas for how this may be carried out are provided in the following section.

5 WG-AEN’S TECHNICAL IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE TYPE OF

INFORMATION AND THE LEVEL OF DETAIL TO BE PROVIDED TO THE
PUBLIC

5.1 General
The END requires that all members of the public should have access to noise
mapping information. However, it is up to member states to decide on the type
and level of detail of this mapping information and how to explain the meaning
of the information. A key issue is to provide and explain the information as
simply as possible at the first point of contact and to provide appropriate
summaries.
6
World Health Organisation - Guidelines for Community Noise (1999) and forthcoming guidelines on
night-time noise, see: http://www.euro.who.int/Noise/activities/20040721_1

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WG-AEN suggests that the majority of this information should be provided

locally.

WG-AEN also suggests that two levels of information and accompanying

explanations may need to be provided at local level. The basic (simplest) level
should be the one provided initially to the public (see section 5.2.2) and then
more detailed information should be available to those members of the public
who wish to view it (see section 5.2.1). However, for those who are responsible
for creating these two levels of maps, it may be more helpful to consider the
more detailed level first, since this is what will be generated by the END
strategic noise mapping process, and then to consider how the more simplified
level can best be derived from this for use by the general public.

At national level WG-AEN suggests that it may only be necessary to provide

one level of information (see section 5.3)

5.2 Presentation of the maps and associated data at local level

WG-AEN suggests that the term ‘local level’ should refer not only to
agglomerations but also smaller administrations that are part of an
agglomeration or are outside agglomerations and are affected by major noise
sources as defined in Article 3 of the END.

5.2.1 The more detailed local level information

At the more detailed level, coloured maps showing noise contours in 5dB bands
should be provided in accordance with Annex IV paragraph 7 of the END.
These maps should at least cover the range required by Annex VI of the END,
i.e. from <55dB to ≥ 75dB for Lden and < 50dB to ≥ 70dB for Lnight.

For these maps WG-AEN suggests that the standard colour banding as
described in ISO 1996-2:1987 7 is used (see Table 1). It should be noted that
this standard has been superseded by ISO 1996-2:2007, but this newer
standard does not redefine the standard colour banding.

7
ISO 1996:1987 Acoustics -- Description, measurement and assessment of environmental noise -- Part 2:
Determination of environmental noise levels.

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Table 1. ISO 1996-2:1987 colour definitions 8.

Noise level (dB) Colour

Below 35 Light green
35 to 40 Green
40 to 45 Dark green
45 to 50 Yellow
50 to 55 Ochre
55 to 60 Orange
60 to 65 Cinnabar
65 to 70 Carmine
70 to 75 Lilac red
75 to 80 Blue
80 to 85 Dark blue

Where maps are made available on a website it may be necessary to place

restrictions on the ability to zoom into the maps as this may give a false
impression of the degree of accuracy of the maps. The use of the actual (i.e. not
interpolated) calculation grid (typically 10 by 10 metre) shown as coloured
squares could provide a simple solution to this issue and is more appropriate
since interpolations to produce smoother contours are not normally based on
acoustic principles (see Figure 1).

WG-AEN suggests that road names and well-known local landmarks

(including schools and hospitals) are included on these maps (see Figure 1).

8
For more detailed colour definitions, see ISO 1996:1987 Part 2.

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Figure 1. Pixel map showing road names and landmark (school).

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On industrial noise maps WG-AEN suggests that the names of all industrial
sites and premises that have been mapped should be provided.

On transportation noise maps consideration should be given to the provision of

data on traffic movements to link noise with these sources. For example, Lnight
levels could be linked to the number of noise events such as freight train
movements.

At this more detailed stage comprehensive explanations of decibels, Lden, and

Lnight, should be provided with the mapping information and the concepts of
annoyance, sleep disturbance and health effects could be introduced.

With regard to noise and health effects, in general WG-AEN believes that at
present the WHO Guidelines6 are the most appropriate for the assessment of
these effects. However, many of the current WHO guidelines relate to noise
within buildings, whereas the END maps provide external noise levels. For more
information on basic assessment procedures WG-AEN suggests that ISO
1996-1:20039 is a good starting point. This standard also gives guidance on
predicting the potential annoyance response of a community to long-term
exposure to various types of environmental noise.

WG-AEN suggests that the effect of noise exposure to various levels of Lden
and Lnight outside buildings can be explained in general terms (see Table 2).
However, WG-AEN emphasises that this is only an example and recognises
that Member States and their competent authorities may wish to relate their
noise exposure levels to their national noise limits, standards or guidelines or to
international guidelines on noise such as those produced by the WHO. It should
be noted that the WHO guidelines are currently under review with one of the
intentions being to revise the relationship between different bands of external
noise to effects such as annoyance and sleep disturbance and the impact on
physical health.

9
ISO 1996 – 1:2003 Acoustics -- Description, measurement and assessment of environmental noise --
Part 1: Basic quantities and assessment procedures.

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Table 2.

Lden Lnight Description

50-54dB 40-44dB Noise is likely to be noticeable but generally it will not

be considered overly intrusive in urban areas. In rural
areas it may be considered intrusive because of
higher expectations for quiet 10.

55-59dB 45-49dB Generally the noise is becoming intrusive even in an

urban environment.

60-64dB 50-54dB Generally the noise will be regarded as high but not
exceptionally so in urban areas.

65-69 dB 55-59dB Generally the noise levels are likely to be regarded

as high even in urban areas.

70-74dB 60-64dB Generally the noise will be regarded as highly

undesirable.

≥75dB ≥ 65dB As noise increases the adverse effects become even

more significant in terms of serious disturbance.

It could be explained that outside agglomerations people’s expectation for

relative quiet may mean that the above-mentioned noise level bands could be
up to 5 dB lower. It could also be explained that people’s reaction to noise
depends on the type of noise source and that this is not reflected in the above
type of table.

It should be stated that the maps show long-term outdoor noise levels and that
Lden is an indicator of annoyance and that Lnight is an indicator of possible sleep
disturbance.

With regard to the identification and protection of existing quiet areas in

agglomerations, WG-AEN suggests that combined (consolidated) maps may
need to be produced and made available to the public at this more detailed
stage. WG-AEN also suggests that these maps should show the

10
These bands of Lden and Lnight noise exposure are not required for reporting purposes as identified in
Annex VI of the END (see also section 5.2.1 of this Position Paper). However, WG-AEN suggests that
it may be helpful to include exposure data from this band when presenting noise mapping data to the
public.

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logarithmically summed combined noise levels, possibly in Lday, from all sources
mapped in these agglomerations i.e. road, railway, aircraft and some industrial
noise (see Figure 2).

It will also be necessary to provide the numbers of people exposed in 5dB

bands for whole agglomerations, and for the lowest administrative areas within
individual agglomerations, at least down to 55 Lden and 50 Lnight.

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Figure 2. Combined noise map showing road, railway, aircraft and industrial sources.

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5.2.2 The simplified level of information
At this level, WG-AEN suggests that noise contour maps are provided in four
colour bands for whole agglomerations and for smaller administrative areas
where appropriate. Tables 3 and 4 provide examples of a colour scheme based
on the ISO colour banding 11.

Table 3.

Lden Proposed colour 12

<55 dB Ochre

55-59 dB Orange

60-64 dB Cinnabar

≥65dB Carmine

Table 4.

Lnight Proposed colour 12

<45dB Dark Green

45-49dB Yellow

50-54dB Ochre

≥55dB Orange

Some members of the public may not easily understand geographical maps and
therefore, as with the more detailed maps, WG-AEN suggests that road
names and well-known local landmarks (for example schools and hospitals) are
included in these maps (see Figure 3).

11
WG-AEN recognises that Member States and their competent authorities may prefer to use alternative
colour schemes and may also wish to use a simplified 3-colour ‘traffic light’ approach for providing this
simplified level of information.
12
For more detailed colour definitions, see ISO 1996:1987 Part 2.

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Also, as with the more detailed maps, WG-AEN suggests that on industrial
noise maps the names of all industrial premises that have been mapped should
be provided (see Figure 4).

It should be stated that the maps show long-term outdoor noise levels and that
Lden is an indicator of annoyance and Lnight is an indicator of possible sleep
disturbance.

It should be noted that the presentation of noise maps in the manner described
above does significantly oversimplify the issues, and that members of the public
who are interested in more detailed noise contour maps and accompanying
information should be referred to the more detailed level of information (see
section 5.2.1).

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Figure 3. Example of simplified pixel map with road names and landmark (school).

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Figure 4. Industrial pixel map.

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5.2.3 Other issues
It is possible that noise exposure data derived from strategic noise maps may
have to be presented at building level rather than dwelling unit level, as little or
no information on the distribution of people in multiple occupancy buildings may
be available in some countries, or areas of countries.

The provision of a web-link to national noise mapping data may be helpful.

5.3 Presentation of the maps and associated data at national level

WG-AEN suggests that at national level more general information should be
provided either by central government or by the road, rail, airport or industrial
authorities. This could include:

• national statistics e.g. population exposure for the whole country, separately
for each noise source; and

• summary statistics for all agglomerations and all major sources outside
agglomerations (this information could be provided via links or ‘pop-ups’ on
a national map – for an example see Figure 5).

WG-AEN also suggests that it would be helpful to provide the names of each
agglomeration, each major road, each railway line and each airport on such
maps as shown in Figure 5.

At national level easily understood explanations of decibels, Lden and Lnight

should also be provided with the mapping information and the concepts of
annoyance, sleep disturbance and health effects could be introduced.

This information should be complementary to, and consistent with, the local
information. For consistency purposes it may be appropriate for the Member
State to provide standard explanations that the ’local providers’ could put on
their websites.

At national level a web-link to the European Commissions ‘EUROPA’ website 13

should be provided so that the public can access information on EU noise
policy. Links should also be provided to the more detailed information, which is
available at local level.

13
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/noise/home.htm

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Figure 5. Map of agglomerations with ’pop up’ window giving statistics.

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6 COMMUNICATION STRATEGY FOR MAKING MAPS AND ASSOCIATED
DATA AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
Having decided what maps and associated data are to be presented to the
public and how best to explain this information, it is then necessary to identify
the best means of making this information available to the public i.e. a
communication strategy.

WG-AEN suggests that:

• the main form of communication of the strategic noise maps and related
data should normally be via locally administered websites and a single
central government website for national data. However, special
consideration should be given to those without Internet access and to the
blind and visually impaired, e.g. those with colour blindness.

• a press release is issued as soon as the maps etc. are made available to
the public. Further articles should be produced for publication in municipal
and national newspapers and bulletins.

• some information should be produced specifically for use in schools (see

the city of Almada presentation at the website referred to in Section 3).

• at local level it would be useful to publicise the availability of the noise

maps and to obtain feedback on how well the maps and associated data
were received and understood. This might be done through forums, road
shows, school lessons, the distribution of leaflets and booklets, mail shots
and exhibitions in public places.

7 LINKS WITH OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Linking noise maps and associated data to other data should be considered.
For example data on air quality, traffic congestion or carbon dioxide emissions.

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8 Membership of WG-AEN

Name Organisation Country

HINTON, John Birmingham City Council UK
(Chair)
Bäckman, Anna European Environment Agency EU
IRMER, Volker Umweltbundesamt Germany
BLOOMFIELD, Alan Greater London Authority UK
BOURBON, Christine Institut Bruxellois pour la Gestion de Belgium
l’Environnement
COELHO, J Luis Bento Universidade Tècnica de Lisboa - CAPS Portugal
McMANUS, Brian Dublin City Council Ireland
FÜRST, Nathalie CERTU - Lyon France
RASMUSSEN, Søren COWI Denmark
(co-chair)
van den BERG, Martin VROM – Den Haag Netherlands
GERVASIO, Sandro AISICO Italy
HINTZSCHE, Matthias Umweltbundesamt Germany
Secretary:
DHILLON, Parminder Defra UK

Observers:
DELCAMPE, David European Commission DG Environment EU
PAVIOTTI, Marco European Commission DG JRC EU
KEPHALOPOULOS. Stelios European Commission DG JRC EU

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9 Appendix 1 – The Environmental Noise Directive

DIRECTIVE 2002/49/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE

COUNCIL

of 25 June 2002

relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise

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THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT the main environmental problems in

AND THE COUNCIL OF THE Europe.
EUROPEAN UNION,
(2) In its Resolution of 10 June 1997
Having regard to the Treaty (5) on the Commission Green Paper,
establishing the European the European Parliament expressed
Community, and in particular Article its support for that Green Paper,
175(1) thereof, urged that specific measures and
initiatives should be laid down in a
Having regard to the proposal from Directive on the reduction of
the Commission (1), environmental noise, and noted the
lack of reliable, comparable data
Having regard to the opinion of the regarding the situation of the various
Economic and Social Committee (2), noise sources.

Having regard to the opinion of the (3) A common noise indicator and a
Committee of the Regions (3), common methodology for noise
calculation and measurement
Acting in accordance with the around airports were identified in the
procedure laid down in Article 251 of Commission Communication of 1
the Treaty (4), and in the light of the December 1999 on Air Transport
joint text approved by the and the Environment. This
Conciliation Committee on 8 April communication has been taken into
2002, account in the provisions of this
Directive.
Whereas:
(4) Certain categories of noise
(1) It is part of Community policy to emissions from products are already
achieve a high level of health and covered by Community legislation,
environmental protection, and one such as Council Directive
of the objectives to be pursued is 70/157/EEC of 6 February 1970 on
protection against noise. In the the approximation of the laws of the
Green Paper on Future Noise Member States relating to the
Policy, the Commission addressed permissible sound level and the
noise in the environment as one of exhaust system of motor vehicles
(6), Council Directive 77/311/EEC of
1
OJ C 337 E, 28.11.2000, p. 251 29 March 1977 on the
2
OJ C 116, 20.4.2001, p. 48 approximation of the laws of the
3
OJ C 148, 18.5.2001, p. 7. Member States relating to the driver
4
Opinion of the European Parliament of 14 perceived noise level of wheeled
December 2000 (OJ C 232, 17.8.2001, p. 05),
Council Common Position of 7 June 2001(OJ C 297,
23.10.2001, p. 49) and Decision of the European
5
Parliament of 3 October 2001 (OJ C 87 E, 11.4.2002, OJ C 200, 30.6.1997, p. 28.
6
p. 118). Decision of the European Parliament of 15 OJ L 42, 23.2.1970, p. 16. Directive as last
May 2002 and Decision of the Council of 21 May amended by Commission Directive 1999/101/EC (OJ
2002. L 334, 28.12.1999, p. 41).

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agricultural or forestry tractors (7), of achieving a high level of

Council Directive 80/51/EEC of 20 protection of the environment and of
December 1979 on the limitation of health will be better reached by
noise emissions from subsonic complementing the action of the
aircraft (8) and its complementary Member States by a Community
directives, Council Directive action achieving a common
92/61/EEC of 30 June 1992 relating understanding of the noise problem.
to the type-approval of two or three- Data about environmental noise
wheel motor vehicles (9) and levels should therefore be collected,
Directive 2000/14/EC of the collated or reported in accordance
European Parliament and of the with comparable criteria. This
Council of 8 May 2000 on the implies the use of harmonized
approximation of the laws of the indicators and evaluation methods,
Member States relating to the noise as well as criteria for the alignment
emission in the environment by of noise-mapping. Such criteria and
equipment for use outdoors (1010). methods can best be established by
the Community.
(5) This Directive should inter alia
provide a basis for developing and (8) It is also necessary to establish
completing the existing set of common assessment methods for
Community measures concerning ‘environmental noise’ and a
noise emitted by the major sources, definition for ‘limit values’, in terms
in particular road and rail vehicles of harmonised indicators for the
and infrastructure, aircraft, outdoor determination of noise levels. The
and industrial equipment and mobile concrete figures of any limit values
machinery, and for developing are to be determined by the Member
additional measures, in the short, States, taking into account, inter
medium and long term. alia, the need to apply the principle
of prevention in order to preserve
(6) Certain categories of noise such quiet areas in agglomerations.
as noise created inside means of
transport and noise from domestic (9) The selected common noise
activities should not be subject to indicators are Lden, to assess
this Directive. annoyance, and Lnight, to assess
sleep disturbance. It is also useful to
(7) In accordance with the principle allow Member States to use
of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 supplementary indicators in order to
of the Treaty, the Treaty objectives monitor or control special noise
situations.
7
OJ L 105, 28.4.1977, p. 1. Directive as last amended
by Directive 97/54/EC (OJ L 277, 10.10.1997, p. 24). (10) Strategic noise mapping should
8
OJ L 18, 24.1.1980, p. 26. Directive as last amended be imposed in certain areas of
by Directive 83/206/EEC (OJ L 117, 4.5.1983, p. 15). interest as it can capture the data
9
OJ L 225, 10.8.1992, p. 72. Directive as last needed to provide a representation
amended by Directive 2000/7/EC (OJ L 106, of the noise levels perceived within
3.5.2000, p. 1). that area.
10
OJ L 162, 3.7.2000, p. 1.

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(11) Action plans should address Objectives

priorities in those areas of interest
and should be drawn up by the 1. The aim of this Directive shall be
competent authorities in to define a common approach
consultation with the public. intended to avoid, prevent or reduce
on a prioritized basis the harmful
(12) In order to have a wide spread effects, including annoyance, due to
of information to the public, the most exposure to environmental noise. To
appropriate information channels that end the following actions shall
should be selected. be implemented progressively:

(13) Data collection and the (a) the determination of exposure to

consolidation of suitable environmental noise, through noise
Community-wide reports are mapping, by methods of
required as a basis for future assessment common to the Member
Community policy and for further States;
information of the public.
(b) ensuring that information on
(14) An evaluation of the environmental noise and its effects
implementation of this Directive is made available to the public;
should be carried out regularly by
the Commission. (c) adoption of action plans by the
Member States, based upon noise-
(15) The technical provisions mapping results, with a view to
governing the assessment methods preventing and reducing
should be supplemented and environmental noise where
adapted as necessary to technical necessary and particularly where
and scientific progress and to exposure levels can induce harmful
progress in European effects on human health and to
standardisation. preserving environmental noise
quality where it is good.
(16) The measures necessary for
the implementation of this Directive 2. This Directive shall also aim at
should be adopted in accordance providing a basis for developing
with Council Decision 1999/468/EC Community measures to reduce
of 28 June 1999 laying down the noise emitted by the major sources,
procedures for the exercise of in particular road and rail vehicles
implementing powers conferred on and infrastructure, aircraft, outdoor
the Commission (1), and industrial equipment and mobile
machinery. To this end, the
HAVE ADOPTED THIS Commission shall submit to the
DIRECTIVE: European Parliament and the
Council, no later than 18 July 2006,
Article 1 appropriate legislative proposals.
Those proposals should take into
1
OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p.23.

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account the results of the report

referred to in Article 10(1).

Article 2

Scope

1. This Directive shall apply to

environmental noise to which
humans are exposed in particular in
built-up areas, in public parks or
other quiet areas in an
agglomeration, in quiet areas in
open country, near schools,
hospitals and other noise sensitive
buildings and areas.

2. This Directive shall not apply to

noise that is caused by the exposed
person himself, noise from domestic
activities, noise created by
neighbours, noise at work places or
noise inside means of transport or
due to military activities in military
areas.

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Article 3 annoyance during the day period, as

further defined inAnnex I;
Definitions
(h) ‘Levening’ (evening-noise indicator)
For the purposes of this Directive: shall mean the noise indicator for
annoyance during the evening
(a) ‘environmental noise’ shall mean period, as further defined in Annex I;
unwanted or harmful outdoor sound
created by human activities, (i) ‘Lnight’ (night-time noise indicator)
including noise emitted by means of shall mean the noise indicator for
transport, road traffic, rail traffic, air sleep disturbance, as further defined
traffic, and from sites of industrial in Annex I;
activity such as those defined in
Annex I to Council Directive (j) ‘dose-effect relation’ shall mean
96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 the relationship between the value
concerning integrated pollution of a noise indicator and a harmful
prevention and control (1); effect;

(b) ‘harmful effects’ shall mean (k) ‘agglomeration’ shall mean part
negative effects on human health; of a territory, delimited by the
Member State, having a population
(c) ‘annoyance’ shall mean the in excess of 100 000 persons and a
degree of community noise population density such that the
annoyance as determined by means Member State considers it to be an
of field surveys; urbanised area;

(d) ‘noise indicator’ shall mean a (l) ‘quiet area in an agglomeration’

physical scale for the description of shall mean an area, delimited by the
environmental noise, which has a competent authority, for instance
relationship with a harmful effect; which is not exposed to a value of
Lden or of another appropriate noise
(e) ‘assessment’ shall mean any indicator greater than a certain
method used to calculate, predict, value set by the Member State,
estimate or measure the value of a from any noise source;
noise indicator or the related
harmful effects; (m) ‘quiet area in open country’ shall
mean an area, delimited by the
(f) ‘Lden’ (day-evening-night noise competent authority, that is
indicator) shall mean the noise undisturbed by noise from traffic,
indicator for overall annoyance, as industry or recreational activities;
further defined in Annex I;
(n) ‘major road’ shall mean a
(g) ‘Lday’ (day-noise indicator) shall regional, national or international
mean the noise indicator for road, designated by the Member
State, which has more than three
1
OJ L 257, 10.10.1996, p. 26. million vehicle passages a year;

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(o) ‘major railway’ shall mean a in the situation regarding the noise
railway, designated by the Member source or the use of the
State, which has more than 30 000 surrounding);
train passages per year;
(t) ‘action plans’ shall mean plans
(p) ‘major airport’ shall mean a civil designed to manage noise issues
airport, designated by the Member and effects, including noise
State, which has more than 50 000 reduction if necessary;
movements per year (a movement
being a take-off or a landing), (u) ‘acoustical planning’ shall mean
excluding those purely for training controlling future noise by planned
purposes on light aircraft; measures, such as land-use
planning, systems engineering for
(q) ‘noise mapping’ shall mean the traffic, traffic planning, abatement by
presentation of data on an existing sound insulation measures and
or predicted noise situation in terms noise control of sources;
of a noise indicator, indicating
breaches of any relevant limit value (v) ‘the public’ shall mean one or
in force, the number of people more natural or legal persons and,
affected in a certain area, or the in accordance with national
number of dwellings exposed to legislation or practice, their
certain values of a noise indicator in associations, organisations or
a certain area; groups.

(r) ‘strategic noise map’ shall mean Article 4

a map designed for the global
assessment of noise exposure in a Implementation and responsibilities
given area due to different noise
sources or for overall predictions for 1. Member States shall designate at
such an area; the appropriate levels the competent
authorities and bodies responsible
(s) ‘limit value’ shall mean a value of for implementing this Directive,
Lden or Lnight, and where appropriate including the authorities responsible
Lday and Levening, as determined by for:
the Member State, the exceeding of
which causes competent authorities (a) making and, where relevant,
to consider or enforce mitigation approving noise maps and action
measures; limit values may be plans for agglomerations, major
different for different types of noise roads, major railways and major
(road-, rail-, air-traffic noise, airports;
industrial noise, etc.), different
surroundings and different noise (b) collecting noise maps and action
sensitiveness of the populations; plans.
they may also be different for
existing situations and for new 2. The Member States shall make
situations (where there is a change the information referred to in
paragraph 1 available to the

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Commission and to the public no together with explanations about the

later than 18 July 2005. implementation of the limit values.

Article 5 Article 6

Noise indicators and their Assessmentmet hods

application
1. The values of Lden and Lnight shall
1. Member States shall apply the be determined by means of the
noise indicators Lden and Lnight as assessment methods defined in
referred to in Annex I for the Annex II.
preparation and revision of strategic
noise mapping in accordance with 2. Common assessment methods
Article 7. for the determination of Lden and
Lnight shall be established by the
Until the use of common Commission in accordance with the
assessment methods for the procedure laid down in Article 13(2)
determination of Lden and Lnight is through a revision of Annex II. Until
made obligatory, existing national these methods are adopted,
noise indicators and related data Member States may use
may be used by Member States for assessment methods adapted in
this purpose and should be accordance with Annex II and based
converted into the indicators upon the methods laid down in their
mentioned above. These data must own legislation. In such case, they
not be more than three years old. must demonstrate that those
methods give equivalent results to
2. Member States may use the results obtained with the
supplementary noise indicators for methods set out in paragraph 2.2 of
special cases such as those listed in Annex II.
Annex I(3).
3. Harmful effects may be assessed
3. For acoustical planning and noise by means of the doseeffect relations
zoning, Member States may use referred to in Annex III.
other noise indicators than Lden and
Lnight. Article 7

4. No later than 18 July 2005, Strategic noise mapping

Member States shall communicate
information to the Commission on 1. Member States shall ensure that
any relevant limit values in force no later than 30 June 2007 strategic
within their territories or under noise maps showing the situation in
preparation, expressed in terms of the preceding calendar year have
Lden and Lnight and where been made and, where relevant,
appropriate, Lday and Levening, for approved by the competent
road-traffic noise, rail-traffic noise, authorities, for all agglomerations
aircraft noise around airports and with more than 250 000 inhabitants
noise on industrial activity sites, and for all major roads which have

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more than six million vehicle at least every five years after the
passages a year, major railways date of their preparation.
which have more than 60 000 train
passages per year and major Article 8
airports within their territories.
Action plans
No later than 30 June 2005, and
thereafter every five years, Member 1. Member States shall ensure that
States shall inform the Commission no later than 18 July 2008 the
of the major roads which have more competent authorities have drawn
than six million vehicle passages a up action plans designed to
year, major railways which have manage, within their territories,
more than 60 000 train passages noise issues and effects, including
per year, major airports and the noise reduction if necessary for:
agglomerations with more than 250
000 inhabitants within their (a) places near the major roads
territories. which have more than six

2. Member States shall adopt the million vehicle passages a year,

measures necessary to ensure that major railways which have more
no later than 30 June 2012, and than 60 000 train passages per year
thereafter every five years, strategic and major airports;
noise maps showing the situation in
the preceding calendar year have (b) agglomerations with more than
been made and, where relevant, 250 000 inhabitants. Such plans
approved by the competent shall also aim to protect quiet areas
authorities for all agglomerations against an increase in noise.
and for all major roads and major
railways within their territories. The measures within the plans are
at the discretion of the competent
No later than 31 December 2008, authorities, but should notably
Member States shall inform the address priorities which may be
Commission of all the identified by the exceeding of any
agglomerations and of all the major relevant limit value or by other
roads and major railways within their criteria chosen by the Member
territories. States and apply in particular to the
most important areas as established
3. The strategic noise maps shall by strategic noise mapping.
satisfy the minimum requirements
laid down in Annex IV. 2. Member States shall ensure that,
no later than 18 July 2013, the
4. Neighbouring Member States competent authorities have drawn
shall cooperate on strategic noise up action plans notably to address
mapping near borders. priorities which may be identified by
the exceeding of any relevant limit
5. The strategic noise maps shall be value or by other criteria chosen by
reviewed, and revised if necessary, the Member States for the

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agglomerations and for the major 1. Member States shall ensure that
roads as well as the major railways the strategic noise maps they have
within their territories. made, and where appropriate
adopted, and the action plans they
3. Member States shall inform the have drawn up are made available
Commission of the other relevant and disseminated to the public in
criteria referred to in paragraphs 1 accordance with relevant
and 2. Community legislation, in particular
Council Directive 90/313/EEC of 7
4. The action plans shall meet the June 1990 on the freedom of access
minimum requirements of Annex V. to information on the environment
(1), and in conformity with Annexes
5. The action plans shall be IV and V to this
reviewed, and revised if necessary,
when a major development occurs Directive, including by means of
affecting the existing noise situation, available information technologies.
and at least every five years after
the date of their approval. 2. This information shall be clear,
comprehensible and accessible. A
6. Neighbouring Member States summary setting out the most
shall cooperate on the action plans important points shall be provided.
for border regions.
Article 10
7. Member States shall ensure that
the public is consulted about Collection and publication of data by
proposals for action plan, given Member States and the Commission
early and effective opportunities to
participate in the preparation and 1. No later than 18 January 2004,
review of the action plans, that the the Commission will submit a report
results of that participation are taken to the European Parliament and the
into account and that the public is Council containing a review of
informed on the decisions taken. existing Community measures
Reasonable time-frames shall be relating to sources of environmental
provided allowing sufficient time for noise.
each stage of public participation. If
the obligation to carry out a public 2. The Member States shall ensure
participation procedure arises that the information from strategic
simultaneously from this Directive noise maps and summaries of the
and any other Community action plans as referred to in Annex
legislation, Member States may VI are sent to the Commission
provide for joint procedures in order within six months of the dates laid
to avoid duplication. down in Articles 7 and 8
respectively.
Article 9

Information to the public

1
OJ L, 158, 23.6.1990, p. 56.

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3. The Commission shall set up a (c) the protection of quiet areas in

database of information on strategic open country.
noise maps in order to facilitate the
compilation of the report referred to 3. The report shall include a review
in Article 11 and other technical and of the acoustic environment quality
informative work. in the Community based on the data
referred to in Article 10 and shall
4. Every five years the Commission take account of scientific and
shall publish a summary report of technical progress and any other
data from strategic noise maps and relevant information. The reduction
action plans. The first report shall be of harmful effects and the cost-
submitted by 18 July 2009. effectiveness ratio shall be the main
criteria for the selection of the
Article 11 strategies and measures proposed.

Review and reporting 4. When the Commission has

received the first set of strategic
1. No later than 18 July 2009, the noise maps, it shall reconsider:
Commission shall submit to the
European Parliament and the — the possibility for a 1,5 metre
Council a report on the measurement height in Annex I,
implementation of this Directive. paragraph 1, in respect of areas
having houses of one storey, — the
2. That report shall in particular lower limit for the estimated number
assess the need for further of people exposed to different bands
Community actions on of Lden and Lnight in Annex VI.
environmental noise and, if
appropriate, propose implementing 5. The report shall be reviewed
strategies on aspects such as: every five years or more often if
appropriate. It shall contain an
(a) long-term and medium-term assessment of the implementation
goals for the reduction of the of this Directive.
number of persons harmfully
affected by environmental noise, 6. The report shall, if appropriate, be
taking particularly into account the accompanied by proposals for the
different climates and different amendment of this Directive.
cultures;
Article 12
(b) additional measures for a
reduction of the environmental noise Adaptation
emitted by specific sources, in
particular outdoor equipment, The Commission shall adapt Annex
means and infrastructures of I, point 3, Annex II and Annex III
transport and certain categories of hereto to technical and scientific
industrial activity, building on those progress in accordance with the
measures already implemented or procedure provided for in Article
under discussion for adoption; 13(2).

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(1) OJ L 158, 23.6.1990, p. 56. texts of the provisions of national

law that they adopt in the field
Article 13 governed by this Directive.

Committee Article 15

1. The Commission shall be Entry into force

assisted by the committee set up by
Article 18 of Directive 2000/14/EC. This Directive shall enter into force
on the day of its publication in the
2. Where reference is made to this Official Journal of the European
paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Communities.
Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply,
having regard to the provisions of Article 16
Article 8 thereof.
Addressees
The period laid down in Article 5(6)
of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be This Directive is addressed to the
set at three months. Member States. Done at
Luxembourg, 25 June 2002.
3. The Committee shall adopt its
rules of procedure. For the European Parliament

Article 14 The President

Transposition P. COX

1. Member States shall bring into For the Council

force the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary The President
to comply with this Directive no later
than 18 July 2004. They shall inform J. MATAS I PALOU
the Commission thereof.

When the Member States adopt

these measures, they shall contain
a reference to this Directive or shall
be accompanied by such a
reference on the occasion of their
official publication.

The methods of making such a

reference shall be laid down by the
Member States.

2. The Member States shall

communicate to the Commission the

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ANNEX I

NOISE INDICATORS

referred to in Article 5

1. Definition of the day-evening-night level Lden

The day-evening-night level Lden in decibels (dB) is defined by the following

formula:

in which:

— L Lday is the A-weighted long-term average sound level as defined in ISO

1996-2: 1987, determined over all the day periods of a year,

— Levening is the A-weighted long-term average sound level as defined in ISO

1996-2: 1987, determined over all the evening periods of a year,

— Lnight is the A-weighted long-term average sound level as defined in ISO

1996-2: 1987, determined over all the night periods of a year;

in which:

— the day is 12 hours, the evening four hours and the night eight hours. The
Member States may shorten the evening period by one or two hours and
lengthen the day and/or the night period accordingly, provided that this choice is
the same for all the sources and that they provide the Commission with
information on any systematic difference from the default option,

— the start of the day (and consequently the start of the evening and the start of
the night) shall be chosen by the Member State (that choice shall be the same
for noise from all sources); the default values are 07.00 to 19.00, 19.00 to 23.00
and 23.00 to 07.00 local time,

— a year is a relevant year as regards the emission of sound and an average

year as regards the meteorological circumstances;

and in which:

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— the incident sound is considered, which means that no account is taken of

the sound that is reflected at the façade of the dwelling under consideration (as
a general rule, this implies a 3 dB correction in case of measurement).

The height of the Lden assessment point depends on the application:

— in the case of computation for the purpose of strategic noise mapping in

relation to noise exposure in and near buildings, the assessment points must be
4,0 ± 0,2 m (3,8 to 4,2 m) above the ground and at the most exposed façade;
for this purpose, the most exposed façade will be the external wall facing onto
and nearest to the specific noise source; for other purposes other choices may
be made,

— in the case of measurement for the purpose of strategic noise mapping in

relation to noise exposure in and near buildings, other heights may be chosen,
but they must never be less than 1,5 m above the ground, and results should be
corrected in accordance with an equivalent height of 4 m,

— for other purposes such as acoustical planning and noise zoning other
heights may be chosen, but they must never be less than 1,5 m above the
ground, for example for:

— rural areas with one-storey houses,

— the design of local measures meant to reduce the noise impact on specific
dwellings,

— the detailed noise mapping of a limited area, showing the noise exposure of
individual dwellings.

2. Definition of the night-time noise indicator

The night-time noise indicator Lnight is the A-weighted long-term average sound
level as defined in ISO 1996-2: 1987, determined over all the night periods of a
year; in which:

— the night is eight hours as defined in paragraph 1,

— a year is a relevant year as regards the emission of sound and an average

year as regards the meteorological circumstances, as defined in paragraph 1,

— the incident sound is considered, as laid down in paragraph 1,

— the assessment point is the same as for Lden.

3. Supplementary noise indicators

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In some cases, in addition to Lden and Lnight, and where appropriate Lday and
Levening, it may be advantageous to use special noise indicators and related limit
values. Some examples are given below:

— the noise source under consideration operates only for a small proportion of
the time (for example, less than 20 % of the time over the total of the day
periods in a year, the total of the evening periods in a year, or the total of the
night periods in a year),

— the average number of noise events in one or more of the periods is very low
(for example, less than one noise event an hour; a noise event could be defined
as a noise that lasts less than five minutes; examples are the noise from a
passing train or a passing aircraft),

— the low-frequency content of the noise is strong,

— LAmax, or SEL (sound exposure level) for night period protection in the case
of noise peaks,

— extra protection at the weekend or a specific part of the year,

— extra protection of the day period,

— extra protection of the evening period,

— a combination of noises from different sources,

— quiet areas in open country,

— the noise contains strong tonal components,

— the noise has an impulsive character.

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ANNEX II

ASSESSMENT METHODS FOR THE NOISE INDICATORS

referred to in Article 6

1. Introduction

The values of Lden and Lnight can be determined either by computation or by

measurement (at the assessment position). For predictions only computation is
applicable.

Provisional computation and measurement methods are set out in paragraphs 2

and 3.

2. Interim computation methods for Lden and Lnight

2.1. Adaptation of existing national computation methods

If a Member State has national methods for the determination of long-term

indicators those methods may be applied, provided that they are adapted to the
definitions of the indicators set out in Annex I. For most national methods this
implies the introduction of the evening as a separate period and the introduction
of the average over a year. Some existing methods will also have to be adapted
as regards the exclusion of the façade reflection, the incorporation of the night
and/or the assessment position.

The establishment of the average over a year requires special attention.

Variations in emission and transmission can contribute to fluctuations over a
year.

2.2. Recommended interim computation methods

For Member States that have no national computation methods or Member

States that wish to change computation method, the following methods are
recommended:

For INDUSTRIAL NOISE: ISO 9613-2: ‘Acoustics — Abatement of sound

propagation outdoors, Part 2: General method of calculation’.

Suitable noise-emission data (input data) for this method can be obtained from
measurements carried out in accordance with one of the following methods:

— ISO 8297: 1994 ‘Acoustics — Determination of sound power levels of multi

source industrial plants for evaluation of sound pressure levels in the
environment — Engineering method’,

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— EN ISO 3744: 1995 ‘Acoustics — Determination of sound power levels of

noise using sound pressure — Engineering method in an essentially free field
over a reflecting plane’,

— EN ISO 3746: 1995 ‘Acoustics — Determination of sound power levels of

noise sources using an enveloping measurement surface over a reflecting
plane’.

For AIRCRAFT NOISE: ECAC.CEAC Doc. 29 ‘Report on Standard Method of

Computing Noise Contours around Civil Airports’, 1997. Of the different
approaches to the modelling of flight paths, the segmentation technique referred
to in section 7.5 of ECAC.CEAC Doc. 29 will be used.

For ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE: The French national computation method ‘NMPB-
Routes-96 (SETRA-CERTU-LCPCCSTB)’, referred to in ‘Arrêté du 5 mai 1995
relatif au bruit des infrastructures routières, Journal Officiel du 10 mai 1995,
Article 6’ and in the French standard ‘XPS 31-133’. For input data concerning
emission, these documents refer to the ‘Guide du bruit des transports terrestres,
fascicule prévision des niveaux sonores, CETUR 1980’.

For RAILWAY NOISE: The Netherlands national computation method published

in ‘Reken- en Meetvoorschrift Railverkeerslawaai ’96, Ministerie
Volkshuisvesting, Ruimtelijke Ordening en Milieubeheer, 20 November 1996’.
Those methods must be adapted to the definitions of Lden and Lnight. No later
than 1 July 2003 the Commission will publish guidelines in accordance with
Article 13(2) on the revised methods and provide emission data for aircraft
noise, road traffic noise and railway noise on the basis of existing data.

3. Interim measurement methods for Lden and Lnight

If a Member State wishes to use its own official measurement method, that
method shall be adapted in accordance with the definitions of the indicators set
out in Annex I and in accordance with the principles governing long-term
average measurements stated in ISO 1996-2: 1987 and ISO 1996-1: 1982.

If a Member State has no measurement method or if it prefers to apply another

method, a method may be defined on the basis of the definition of the indicator
and the principles stated in ISO 1996-2: 1987 and ISO 1996-1: 1982.

Measurement data in front of a façade or another reflecting element must be

corrected to exclude the reflected contribution of this façade or element (as a
general rule, this implies a 3 dB correction in case of measurement).

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ANNEX III

ASSESSMENT METHODS FOR HARMFUL EFFECTS

referred to in Article 6(3)

Dose-effect relations should be used to assess the effect of noise on

populations. The dose-effect relations introduced by future revisions of this
Annex in accordance with Article 13(2) will concern in particular:

— the relation between annoyance and Lden for road, rail and air traffic noise,
and for industrial noise,

— the relation between sleep disturbance and Lnight for road, rail and air traffic
noise, and for industrial noise.

If necessary, specific dose-effect relations could be presented for:

— dwellings with special insulation against noise as defined in Annex VI,

— dwellings with a quiet façade as defined in Annex VI,

— different climates/different cultures,

— vulnerable groups of the population,

— tonal industrial noise,

— impulsive industrial noise and other special cases.

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ANNEX IV

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR STRATEGIC NOISE MAPPING

referred to in Article 7

1. A strategic noise map is the presentation of data on one of the following

aspects:

— an existing, a previous or a predicted noise situation in terms of a noise

indicator,

— the exceeding of a limit value,

— the estimated number of dwellings, schools and hospitals in a certain area

that are exposed to specific values of a noise indicator,

— the estimated number of people located in an area exposed to noise.

2. Strategic noise maps may be presented to the public as:

— graphical plots,

— numerical data in tables,

— numerical data in electronic form.

3. Strategic noise maps for agglomerations shall put a special emphasis on the
noise emitted by:

— road traffic,

— rail traffic,

— airports,

— industrial activity sites, including ports.

4. Strategic noise mapping will be used for the following purposes:

— the provision of the data to be sent to the Commission in accordance with

Article 10(2) and Annex VI,

— a source of information for citizens in accordance with Article 9,

— a basis for action plans in accordance with Article 8.

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Each of those applications requires a different type of strategic noise map.

5. Minimum requirements for the strategic noise maps concerning the data to be
sent to the Commission are set out in paragraphs 1.5, 1.6, 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 of
Annex VI.

6. For the purposes of informing the citizen in accordance with Article 9 and the
development of action plans in accordance with Article 8, additional and more
detailed information must be given, such as:

— a graphical presentation,

— maps disclosing the exceeding of a limit value,

— difference maps, in which the existing situation is compared with various

possible future situations,

— maps showing the value of a noise indicator at a height other than 4 m where
appropriate.

The Member States may lay down rules on the types and formats of these noise
maps.

7. Strategic noise maps for local or national application must be made for an
assessment height of 4 m and the 5 dB ranges of Lden and Lnight as defined in
Annex VI.

8. For agglomerations separate strategic noise maps must be made for road-
traffic noise, rail-traffic noise, aircraft noise and industrial noise. Maps for other
sources may be added.

9. The Commission may develop guidelines providing further guidance on noise

maps, noise mapping and mapping softwares in accordance with Article 13(2).

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ANNEX V

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ACTION PLANS

referred to in Article 8

1. An action plan must at least include the following elements:

— a description of the agglomeration, the major roads, the major railways or

major airports and other noise sources taken into account,

— the authority responsible,

— the legal context,

— any limit values in place in accordance with Article 5,

— a summary of the results of the noise mapping,

— an evaluation of the estimated number of people exposed to noise,

identification of problems and situations that

need to be improved,

— a record of the public consultations organised in accordance with Article 8(7),

— any noise-reduction measures already in force and any projects in

preparation,

— actions which the competent authorities intend to take in the next five years,
including any measures to preserve

quiet areas,

— long-term strategy,

— financial information (if available): budgets, cost-effectiveness assessment,

cost-benefit assessment,

— provisions envisaged for evaluating the implementation and the results of the
action plan.

2. The actions which the competent authorities intend to take in the fields within
their competence may for example include:

— traffic planning,

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— land-use planning,

— technical measures at noise sources,

— selection of quieter sources,

— reduction of sound transmission,

— regulatory or economic measures or incentives.

3. Each action plan should contain estimates in terms of the reduction of the
number of people affected (annoyed, sleep disturbed, or other).

4. The Commission may develop guidelines providing further guidance on the

action plans in accordance with Article 13(2).

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ANNEX VI

DATA TO BE SENT TO THE COMMISSION

referred to in Article 10

The data to be sent to the Commission are as follows:

1. For agglomerations

1.1. A concise description of the agglomeration: location, size, number of

inhabitants.

1.2. The responsible authority.

1.3. Noise-control programmes that have been carried out in the past and
noise-measures in place.

1.4. The computation or measurement methods that have been used.

1.5. The estimated number of people (in hundreds) living in dwellings that are
exposed to each of the following bands of values of Lden in dB 4 m above the
ground on the most exposed façade: 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, > 75,
separately for noise from road, rail and air traffic, and from industrial sources.
The figures must be rounded to the nearest hundred (e.g. 5 200 = between 5
150 and 5 249; 100 = between 50 and 149; 0 = less than 50). In addition it
should be stated, where appropriate and where such information is available,
how many persons in the above categories live in dwellings that have:

— special insulation against the noise in question, meaning special insulation of

a building against one or more types of environmental noise, combined with
such ventilation or air conditioning facilities that high values of insulation against
environmental noise can be maintained,

— a quiet façade, meaning the façade of a dwelling at which the value of Lden
four metres above the ground and two metres in front of the façade, for the
noise emitted from a specific source, is more than 20 dB lower than at the
façade having the highest value of Lden. An indication should also be given on
how major roads, major railways and major airports as defined in Article 3
contribute to the above.

1.6. The estimated total number of people (in hundreds) living in dwellings that
are exposed to each of the following bands of values of Lnight in dB 4 m above
the ground on the most exposed façade: 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, > 70,
separately for road, rail and air traffic and for industrial sources. These data
may also be assessed for value band 45-49 before the date laid down in Article
11(1).

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In addition it should be stated, where appropriate and where such information is

available, how many persons in the above categories live in dwellings that have:

— special insulation against the noise in question, as defined in paragraph 1.5,

— a quiet façade, as defined in paragraph 1.5.

It must also be indicated how major roads, major railways and major airports
contribute to the above.

1.7. In case of graphical presentation, strategic maps must at least show the 60,
65, 70 and 75 dB contours.

1.8. A summary of the action plan covering all the important aspects referred to
in Annex V, not exceeding ten pages in length.

2. For major roads, major railways and major airports

2.1. A general description of the roads, railways or airports: location, size, and
data on the traffic.

2.2. A characterisation of their surroundings: agglomerations, villages,

countryside or otherwise, information on land use, other major noise sources.

2.3. Noise-control programmes that have been carried out in the past and
noise-measures in place.

2.4. The computation or measurement methods that have been used.

2.5. The estimated total number of people (in hundreds) living outside
agglomerations in dwellings that are exposed to each of the following bands of
values of Lden in dB 4 m above the ground and on the most exposed façade:

In addition it should be stated, where appropriate and where such information is

available, how many persons in the above categories live in dwellings that have:

— special insulation against the noise in question, as defined in paragraph 1.5,

— a quiet façade, as defined in paragraph 1.5.

2.6. The estimated total number of people (in hundreds) living outside
agglomerations in dwellings that are exposed to each of the following bands of
values of Lnight in dB 4 m above the ground and on the most exposed façade:
50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, > 70. These data may also be assessed for value
band 45-49 before the date laid down in Article 11(1).

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In addition it should be stated, where appropriate and where such information is

available, how many persons in the above categories live in dwellings that have:

— special insulation against the noise in question, as defined in paragraph 1.5,

— a quiet façade, as defined in paragraph 1.5.

2.7. The total area (in km2) exposed to values of Lden higher than 55, 65 and 75
dB respectively. The estimated total number of dwellings (in hundreds) and the
estimated total number of people (in hundreds) living in each of these areas
must also be given. Those figures must include agglomerations.

The 55 and 65 dB contours must also be shown on one or more maps that give
information on the location of villages, towns and agglomerations within those
contours.

2.8. A summary of the action plan covering all the important aspects referred to
in Annex V, not exceeding ten pages in length.

3. Guidelines

The Commission may develop guidelines to provide further guidance on the

above provision of information, in accordance with Article 13(2).

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10 Appendix 2 – The Directive on Public Access to Environmental

Information

Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January

2003 on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive
90/313/EEC

Official Journal L 041 , 14/02/2003 P. 0026 - 0032

Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

of 28 January 2003
on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive
90/313/EEC

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, HAVE
ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular
Article 175(1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee(2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(3),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty(4) in the
light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 8 November 2002,
Whereas:
(1) Increased public access to environmental information and the dissemination of such
information contribute to a greater awareness of environmental matters, a free exchange
of views, more effective participation by the public in environmental decision-making
and, eventually, to a better environment.
(2) Council Directive 90/313/EEC of 7 June 1990 on the freedom of access to information
on the environment(5) initiated a process of change in the manner in which public
authorities approach the issue of openness and transparency, establishing measures for
the exercise of the right of public access to environmental information which should be
developed and continued. This Directive expands the existing access granted under
Directive 90/313/EEC.
(3) Article 8 of that Directive requires Member States to report to the Commission on the
experience gained, in the light of which the Commission is required to make a report to
the European Parliament and to the Council together with any proposal for revision of
the Directive which it may consider appropriate.
(4) The report produced under Article 8 of that Directive identifies concrete problems
encountered in the practical application of the Directive.
(5) On 25 June 1998 the European Community signed the UN/ECE Convention on Access
to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in
Environmental Matters (“the Aarhus Convention”). Provisions of Community law must be
consistent with that Convention with a view to its conclusion by the European
Community.

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(6) It is appropriate in the interest of increased transparency to replace Directive

90/313/EEC rather than to amend it, so as to provide interested parties with a single,
clear and coherent legislative text.
(7) Disparities between the laws in force in the Member States concerning access to
environmental information held by public authorities can create inequality within the
Community as regards access to such information or as regards conditions of
competition.
(8) It is necessary to ensure that any natural and legal person has a right of access to
environmental information held by or for public authorities without his having to state an
interest.
(9) It is also necessary that public authorities make available and disseminate
environmental information to the general public to the widest extent possible, in
particular by using information and communication technologies. The future
development of these technologies should be taken into account in the reporting on, and
reviewing of, this Directive.
(10) The definition of environmental information should be clarified so as to encompass
information in any form on the state of the environment, on factors, measures or
activities affecting or likely to affect the environment or designed to protect it, on cost-
benefit and economic analyses used within the framework of such measures or activities
and also information on the state of human health and safety, including the
contamination of the food chain, conditions of human life, cultural sites and built
structures in as much as they are, or may be, affected by any of those matters.
(11) To take account of the principle in Article 6 of the Treaty, that environmental
protection requirements should be integrated into the definition and implementation of
Community policies and activities, the definition of public authorities should be expanded
so as to encompass government or other public administration at national, regional or
local level whether or not they have specific responsibilities for the environment. The
definition should likewise be expanded to include other persons or bodies performing
public administrative functions in relation to the environment under national law, as well
as other persons or bodies acting under their control and having public responsibilities or
functions in relation to the environment.
(12) Environmental information which is physically held by other bodies on behalf of
public authorities should also fall within the scope of this Directive.
(13) Environmental information should be made available to applicants as soon as
possible and within a reasonable time and having regard to any timescale specified by
the applicant.
(14) Public authorities should make environmental information available in the form or
format requested by an applicant unless it is already publicly available in another form or
format or it is reasonable to make it available in another form or format. In addition,
public authorities should be required to make all reasonable efforts to maintain the
environmental information held by or for them in forms or formats that are readily
reproducible and accessible by electronic means.
(15) Member States should determine the practical arrangements under which such
information is effectively made available. These arrangements shall guarantee that the
information is effectively and easily accessible and progressively becomes available to
the public through public telecommunications networks, including publicly accessible lists

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of public authorities and registers or lists of environmental information held by or for

public authorities.
(16) The right to information means that the disclosure of information should be the
general rule and that public authorities should be permitted to refuse a request for
environmental information in specific and clearly defined cases. Grounds for refusal
should be interpreted in a restrictive way, whereby the public interest served by
disclosure should be weighed against the interest served by the refusal. The reasons for
a refusal should be provided to the applicant within the time limit laid down in this
Directive.
(17) Public authorities should make environmental information available in part where it
is possible to separate out any information falling within the scope of the exceptions
from the rest of the information requested.
(18) Public authorities should be able to make a charge for supplying environmental
information but such a charge should be reasonable. This implies that, as a general rule,
charges may not exceed actual costs of producing the material in question. Instances
where advance payment will be required should be limited. In particular cases, where
public authorities make available environmental information on a commercial basis, and
where this is necessary in order to guarantee the continuation of collecting and
publishing such information, a market-based charge is considered to be reasonable; an
advance payment may be required. A schedule of charges should be published and made
available to applicants together with information on the circumstances in which a charge
may be levied or waived.
(19) Applicants should be able to seek an administrative or judicial review of the acts or
omissions of a public authority in relation to a request.
(20) Public authorities should seek to guarantee that when environmental information is
compiled by them or on their behalf, the information is comprehensible, accurate and
comparable. As this is an important factor in assessing the quality of the information
supplied the method used in compiling the information should also be disclosed upon
request.
(21) In order to increase public awareness in environmental matters and to improve
environmental protection, public authorities should, as appropriate, make available and
disseminate information on the environment which is relevant to their functions, in
particular by means of computer telecommunication and/or electronic technology, where
available.
(22) This Directive should be evaluated every four years, after its entry into force, in the
light of experience and after submission of the relevant reports by the Member States,
and be subject to revision on that basis. The Commission should submit an evaluation
report to the European Parliament and the Council.
(23) Since the objectives of the proposed Directive cannot be sufficiently achieved by the
Member States and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community
may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article
5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that
Article, this Directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those
objectives.
(24) The provisions of this Directive shall not affect the right of a Member State to
maintain or introduce measures providing for broader access to information than
required by this Directive,

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Article 1
Objectives
The objectives of this Directive are:
(a) to guarantee the right of access to environmental information held by or for public
authorities and to set out the basic terms and conditions of, and practical arrangements
for, its exercise; and
(b) to ensure that, as a matter of course, environmental information is progressively
made available and disseminated to the public in order to achieve the widest possible
systematic availability and dissemination to the public of environmental information. To
this end the use, in particular, of computer telecommunication and/or electronic
technology, where available, shall be promoted.
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Directive:
1. “Environmental information” shall mean any information in written, visual, aural,
electronic or any other material form on:
(a) the state of the elements of the environment, such as air and atmosphere, water,
soil, land, landscape and natural sites including wetlands, coastal and marine areas,
biological diversity and its components, including genetically modified organisms, and the
interaction among these elements;
(b) factors, such as substances, energy, noise, radiation or waste, including radioactive
waste, emissions, discharges and other releases into the environment, affecting or likely
to affect the elements of the environment referred to in (a);
(c) measures (including administrative measures), such as policies, legislation, plans,
programmes, environmental agreements, and activities affecting or likely to affect the
elements and factors referred to in (a) and (b) as well as measures or activities designed
to protect those elements;
(d) reports on the implementation of environmental legislation;
(e) cost-benefit and other economic analyses and assumptions used within the
framework of the measures and activities referred to in (c) ; and
(f) the state of human health and safety, including the contamination of the food chain,
where relevant, conditions of human life, cultural sites and built structures inasmuch as
they are or may be affected by the state of the elements of the environment referred to
in (a) or, through those elements, by any of the matters referred to in (b) and (c).
2. “Public authority” shall mean:
(a) government or other public administration, including public advisory bodies, at
national, regional or local level;
(b) any natural or legal person performing public administrative functions under national
law, including specific duties, activities or services in relation to the environment; and
(c) any natural or legal person having public responsibilities or functions, or providing
public services, relating to the environment under the control of a body or person falling
within (a) or (b).
Member States may provide that this definition shall not include bodies or institutions
when acting in a judicial or legislative capacity. If their constitutional provisions at the
date of adoption of this Directive make no provision for a review procedure within the

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meaning of Article 6, Member States may exclude those bodies or institutions from that
definition.
3. “Information held by a public authority” shall mean environmental information in its
possession which has been produced or received by that authority.
4. “Information held for a public authority” shall mean environmental information which
is physically held by a natural or legal person on behalf of a public authority.
5. “Applicant” shall mean any natural or legal person requesting environmental
information.
6. “Public” shall mean one or more natural or legal persons, and, in accordance with
national legislation or practice, their associations, organisations or groups.
Article 3
Access to environmental information upon request
1. Member States shall ensure that public authorities are required, in accordance with
the provisions of this Directive, to make available environmental information held by or
for them to any applicant at his request and without his having to state an interest.
2. Subject to Article 4 and having regard to any timescale specified by the applicant,
environmental information shall be made available to an applicant:
(a) as soon as possible or, at the latest, within one month after the receipt by the public
authority referred to in paragraph 1 of the applicant’s request; or
(b) within two months after the receipt of the request by the public authority if the
volume and the complexity of the information is such that the one-month period referred
to in (a) cannot be complied with. In such cases, the applicant shall be informed as soon
as possible, and in any case before the end of that one-month period, of any such
extension and of the reasons for it.
3. If a request is formulated in too general a manner, the public authority shall as soon
as possible, and at the latest within the timeframe laid down in paragraph 2(a), ask the
applicant to specify the request and shall assist the applicant in doing so, e.g. by
providing information on the use of the public registers referred to in paragraph 5(c).
The public authorities may, where they deem it appropriate, refuse the request under
Article 4(1)(c).
4. Where an applicant requests a public authority to make environmental information
available in a specific form or format (including in the form of copies), the public
authority shall make it so available unless:
(a) it is already publicly available in another form or format, in particular under Article 7,
which is easily accessible by applicants; or
(b) it is reasonable for the public authority to make it available in another form or
format, in which case reasons shall be given for making it available in that form or
format.
For the purposes of this paragraph, public authorities shall make all reasonable efforts to
maintain environmental information held by or for them in forms or formats that are
readily reproducible and accessible by computer telecommunications or by other
electronic means.
The reasons for a refusal to make information available, in full or in part, in the form or
format requested shall be provided to the applicant within the time limit referred to in
paragraph 2(a).
5. For the purposes of this Article, Member States shall ensure that:
(a) officials are required to support the public in seeking access to information;

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(b) lists of public authorities are publicly accessible; and

(c) the practical arrangements are defined for ensuring that the right of access to
environmental information can be effectively exercised, such as:
• the designation of information officers;
• the establishment and maintenance of facilities for the examination of the
information required,
• registers or lists of the environmental information held by public authorities or
information points, with clear indications of where such information can be found.
Member States shall ensure that public authorities inform the public adequately of the
rights they enjoy as a result of this Directive and to an appropriate extent provide
information, guidance and advice to this end.
Article 4
Exceptions
1. Member States may provide for a request for environmental information to be refused
if:
(a) the information requested is not held by or for the public authority to which the
request is addressed. In such a case, where that public authority is aware that the
information is held by or for another public authority, it shall, as soon as possible,
transfer the request to that other authority and inform the applicant accordingly or
inform the applicant of the public authority to which it believes it is possible to apply for
the information requested;
(b) the request is manifestly unreasonable;
(c) the request is formulated in too general a manner, taking into account Article 3(3);
(d) the request concerns material in the course of completion or unfinished documents
or data;
(e) the request concerns internal communications, taking into account the public interest
served by disclosure.
Where a request is refused on the basis that it concerns material in the course of
completion, the public authority shall state the name of the authority preparing the
material and the estimated time needed for completion.
2. Member States may provide for a request for environmental information to be refused
if disclosure of the information would adversely affect:
(a) the confidentiality of the proceedings of public authorities, where such confidentiality
is provided for by law;
(b) international relations, public security or national defence;
(c) the course of justice, the ability of any person to receive a fair trial or the ability of a
public authority to conduct an enquiry of a criminal or disciplinary nature;
(d) the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality
is provided for by national or Community law to protect a legitimate economic interest,
including the public interest in maintaining statistical confidentiality and tax secrecy;
(e) intellectual property rights;
(f) the confidentiality of personal data and/or files relating to a natural person where that
person has not consented to the disclosure of the information to the public, where such
confidentiality is provided for by national or Community law;
(g) the interests or protection of any person who supplied the information requested on
a voluntary basis without being under, or capable of being put under, a legal obligation
to do so, unless that person has consented to the release of the information concerned;

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(h) the protection of the environment to which such information relates, such as the
location of rare species.
The grounds for refusal mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be interpreted in a
restrictive way, taking into account for the particular case the public interest served by
disclosure. In every particular case, the public interest served by disclosure shall be
weighed against the interest served by the refusal. Member States may not, by virtue of
paragraph 2(a), (d), (f), (g) and (h), provide for a request to be refused where the
request relates to information on emissions into the environment.
Within this framework, and for the purposes of the application of subparagraph (f),
Member States shall ensure that the requirements of Directive 95/46/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with
regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data are
complied with(6).
3. Where a Member State provides for exceptions, it may draw up a publicly accessible
list of criteria on the basis of which the authority concerned may decide how to handle
requests.
4. Environmental information held by or for public authorities which has been requested
by an applicant shall be made available in part where it is possible to separate out any
information falling within the scope of paragraphs 1(d) and (e) or 2 from the rest of the
information requested.
5. A refusal to make available all or part of the information requested shall be notified to
the applicant in writing or electronically, if the request was in writing or if the applicant
so requests, within the time limits referred to in Article 3(2)(a) or, as the case may be,
(b). The notification shall state the reasons for the refusal and include information on the
review procedure provided for in accordance with Article 6.
Article 5
Charges
1. Access to any public registers or lists established and maintained as mentioned in
Article 3(5) and examination in situ of the information requested shall be free of charge.
2. Public authorities may make a charge for supplying any environmental information but
such charge shall not exceed a reasonable amount.
3. Where charges are made, public authorities shall publish and make available to
applicants a schedule of such charges as well as information on the circumstances in
which a charge may be levied or waived.
Article 6
Access to justice
1. Member States shall ensure that any applicant who considers that his request for
information has been ignored, wrongfully refused (whether in full or in part),
inadequately answered or otherwise not dealt with in accordance with the provisions of
Articles 3, 4 or 5, has access to a procedure in which the acts or omissions of the public
authority concerned can be reconsidered by that or another public authority or reviewed
administratively by an independent and impartial body established by law. Any such
procedure shall be expeditious and either free of charge or inexpensive.
2. In addition to the review procedure referred to in paragraph 1, Member States shall
ensure that an applicant has access to a review procedure before a court of law or
another independent and impartial body established by law, in which the acts or
omissions of the public authority concerned can be reviewed and whose decisions may

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become final. Member States may furthermore provide that third parties incriminated by
the disclosure of information may also have access to legal recourse.
3. Final decisions under paragraph 2 shall be binding on the public authority holding the
information. Reasons shall be stated in writing, at least where access to information is
refused under this Article.
Article 7
Dissemination of environmental information
1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that public authorities
organise the environmental information which is relevant to their functions and which is
held by or for them, with a view to its active and systematic dissemination to the public,
in particular by means of computer telecommunication and/or electronic technology,
where available.
The information made available by means of computer telecommunication and/or
electronic technology need not include information collected before the entry into force
of this Directive unless it is already available in electronic form.
Member States shall ensure that environmental information progressively becomes
available in electronic databases which are easily accessible to the public through public
telecommunication networks.
2. The information to be made available and disseminated shall be updated as
appropriate and shall include at least:
(a) texts of international treaties, conventions or agreements, and of Community,
national, regional or local legislation, on the environment or relating to it;
(b) policies, plans and programmes relating to the environment;
(c) progress reports on the implementation of the items referred to in (a) and (b) when
prepared or held in electronic form by public authorities;
(d) the reports on the state of the environment referred to in paragraph 3;
(e) data or summaries of data derived from the monitoring of activities affecting, or likely
to affect, the environment;
(f) authorisations with a significant impact on the environment and environmental
agreements or a reference to the place where such information can be requested or
found in the framework of Article 3;
(g) environmental impact studies and risk assessments concerning the environmental
elements referred to in Article 2(1)(a) or a reference to the place where the information
can be requested or found in the framework of Article 3.
3. Without prejudice to any specific reporting obligations laid down by Community
legislation, Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that national,
and, where appropriate, regional or local reports on the state of the environment are
published at regular intervals not exceeding four years; such reports shall include
information on the quality of, and pressures on, the environment.
4. Without prejudice to any specific obligation laid down by Community legislation,
Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that, in the event of an
imminent threat to human health or the environment, whether caused by human
activities or due to natural causes, all information held by or for public authorities which
could enable the public likely to be affected to take measures to prevent or mitigate
harm arising from the threat is disseminated, immediately and without delay.
5. The exceptions in Article 4(1) and (2) may apply in relation to the duties imposed by
this Article.

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6. Member States may satisfy the requirements of this Article by creating links to
Internet sites where the information can be found.
Article 8
Quality of environmental information
1. Member States shall, so far as is within their power, ensure that any information that
is compiled by them or on their behalf is up to date, accurate and comparable.
2. Upon request, public authorities shall reply to requests for information pursuant to
Article 2(1)b, reporting to the applicant on the place where information, if available, can
be found on the measurement procedures, including methods of analysis, sampling, and
pre-treatment of samples, used in compiling the information, or referring to a
standardised procedure used.
Article 9
Review procedure
1. Not later than 14 February 2009, Member States shall report on the experience gained
in the application of this Directive.
They shall communicate the report to the Commission not later than 14 August 2009.
No later than 14 February 2004, the Commission shall forward to the Member States a
guidance document setting out clearly the manner in which it wishes the Member States
to report.
2. In the light of experience and taking into account developments in computer
telecommunication and/or electronic technology, the Commission shall make a report to
the European Parliament and to the Council together with any proposal for revision,
which it may consider appropriate.
Article 10
Implementation
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions
necessary to comply with this Directive by 14 February 2005. They shall forthwith inform
the Commission thereof.
When Member States adopt these measures, they shall contain a reference to this
Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official
publication. The methods of making such reference shall be laid down by Member
States.
Article 11
Repeal
Directive 90/313/EEC is hereby repealed with effect from 14 February 2005.
References to the repealed Directive shall be construed as referring to this Directive and
shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in the Annex.
Article 12
Entry into force
This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of
the European Union.
Article 13
Addressees
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 28 January 2003.
For the European Parliament
The President

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P. Cox
For the Council
The President
G. Papandreou
(1) OJ C 337 E, 28.11.2000, p. 156 and OJ C 240 E, 28.8.2001, p. 289.
(2) OJ C 116, 20.4.2001, p. 43.
(3) OJ C 148, 18.5.2001, p. 9.
(4) Opinion of the European Parliament of 14 March 2001 (OJ C 343, 5.12.2001, p. 165),
Council Common Position of 28 January 2002 (OJ C 113 E, 14.5.2002, p. 1) and Decision
of the European Parliament of 30 May 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal).
Decision of the Council of 16 December 2002 and decision the European Parliament of
18 December 2002.
(5) OJ L 158, 23.6.1990, p. 56.
(6) OJ L 281, 23.11.1995, p. 31.

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11 Appendix 3 - Workshop on Presenting Noise Mapping Data to the

Public

5th October 2006

Reports of Group Discussions

Group 1

Facilitators: Justin Adcock (Hoare Lea) / Tim Clarke (Bristol City Council)

What are the likely problems in communicating the END mapping to the public?

The public is a very broad audience comprising many different categories from
individuals to communities and industry. Each element of the public has
differing technical appreciation and information requirements.

Who is our target audience?

Several members of the team noted the ambiguity in the definition of “public”
needed to be better defined/understood. Various suggestions on the target
audience included:

Local Authorities

Industry Groups

Communities, at a group and individual level

Some team members suggested noise action groups however others suggested
caution in this respect based on concerns of impartiality.

What is the purpose?

Provide an objective reference to guide any future strategic policy that either
directly or indirectly impacts upon environmental noise. It was considered that
the type of strategic noise policy informed by these maps would be directed at
level reduction in noisy areas, as well as protection of existing quiet areas.

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In terms of the public, various comments were made in relation to purpose.

Generally, considered that the noise maps should promote reasoned and
balanced awareness of environmental noise as a contributing factor to amenity
and life quality.

Raising political awareness of the process was not considered to be the

purpose of the exercise. Already established by the END.

What type of reaction do we want/expect?

In terms of Local Authorities:

Consistent approach to factoring the noise maps into strategic planning. This
does however establish a need for local authorities to be provided with
information on how they can go about this.

In terms of public reaction:

An awareness of the process involved and the reasons for it.

Reasonable awareness and expectations about noise levels and how they
could be improved.

Some members stated that it was preferential not to generate more complaints
about noise, but considered it was a potentially unavoidable consequence of the
process. Others seemed less convinced that public action about noise was not
a positive outcome.

A better informed public that is better equipped to understand and participate in

local authority decision making.

What sort of information do we need to provide and how?

Some members felt information should be as simple as possible to promote

acceptance and understanding for non-technical parties. Others expressed
reservations about simple information, noting that simple information may
create misconceptions about a fundamentally complex issue. Varied public
audience creates the requirement for information of varying technical
sophistication.

The team expressed reservations about the use of auralisations to inform the
public. Generally considered reasonable within controlled environments where
supplementary contextual information can be provided. Web based
auralisations were considered to be of questionable merit.

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Important to carefully explain noise descriptors, particularly the Lden which will
indicate higher numerical values than may have been indicated by former noise
maps (for the same input conditions).

Important for contextual information to be provided in order that environmental

noise is considered in a reasoned way amidst other amenity, life quality, and
health considerations.

Important for the information to convey the concept that noise is a consequence
of modern life and, as with other environmental issues, is a form of pollution
which we all contribute to.

On a presentation level, the quality and legibility of detail within the model was
considered very important. For example, clear scales and street naming to
enable efficient public access to any specific locations of interest.

Important for information about what a future noise strategy may entail. Very
problematic to advise that an area is affected by high noise levels but not be
able to provide any comment on the likelihood, nature, extent of possible noise
reductions.

Information about the importance of real world noise variability – failure to

recognise this (or indeed misguidedly dismiss as “uncertainty”) may totally
undermine any assessment of the benefit associated with a change in noise
level.

Proposals for a communication strategy at national, regional or local level?

Limited feedback on this item. Local Authorities would be the key regional
communicators, but some team members felt this should be entirely managed
by central government. Others expressed the role of NGO’s and action group’s,
but again, others expressed caution about the impartiality of such groups..

Key selling point for noise information is to identify relevant synergies with other
environmental and social issues such as air quality, traffic congestion, carbon
emissions (see alternative low noise/carbon technologies for public transport).

Miscellaneous

Important considerations:

Targets based solely on number of exposed people likely to be too simplistic

when considering opposing drivers for brown field development

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Demographics, particularly urbanisation of populations in general, but differing

(potentially opposing) trends for differing age groups. Important considering that
age groupings may also link to noise sensitivity.

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Group 2
There follows the note produced following the seminar and, at the end, some
additional points fed back by group members when consulted about the note.

During the discussion the following issues emerged:

As regards the strategic noise maps, the Directive only requires the public to be
informed. Consultation is not required; that is only necessary at the Action Plan
stage. (There might be a need for feedback, however, to ‘test’ the public’s
understanding and acceptance of the maps.)

Are strategic noise maps adequate for the purpose envisaged in later stages of
the process – local Action Planning? There are three disadvantages to a ‘high
level’ strategic map which might make it unsuitable for the overall process while
still fulfilling the terms of the Directive:

i) A high level/strategic map might be thought adequate for strategic action planning e.g. reviewing
the effects of changes in fleet mix, speed, or road/rail type. However, any predicted effects must
remain consistent when ‘zoomed’ to the local level. There is a risk that if the strategic map is
not sufficiently detailed, local details of topography, screening, or a noise source that is not
significant at the strategic level but is an important influence locally, could lead to different
results between strategic and local action plans.
ii) For local action planning, maps must be more detailed than is envisaged for strategic noise maps.
In particular, they need to include more of the local sources, which means in practice all the
roads.
iii) Making the maps more detailed in this way has a further benefit. Maps that do not show all the
local roads are not well understood by the public since they cannot be related to noise as
experienced in their neighbourhoods. Consequently, their confidence in the maps will be lower
than for a map in which all the roads are included as sources. A more detailed map would be
more readily understood and accepted by the public.

WHAT ARE THE LIKELY PROBLEMS IN COMMUNICATING THE END

MAPPING TO THE PUBLIC?

• Who will do the communicating?

• Who are the public?

• Are there different sub groups within the public?

• How much information do we communicate?

Supplementary discussion notes.

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• In the UK for the communicator could be different for different sources eg

Secretary of State for some, Network Rail etc for others. If the
Competent Authority is an agency such as Network Rail, How do we
influence how and what they communicate?

This situation will vary between Member States.

• Is noise a health risk or not? If not, what level of resourcing is appropriate

when communicating information – particularly with uninterested sections of
the public (se also next section)?

• Note that maps could enable ‘hot spots’ to be identified, but there are
unlikely to be sufficient resources to implement action planning for all of
them in the short term. This will lead to unpopularity for the Competent
Authorities.

WHO IS OUR TARGET AUDIENCE? (WHAT PART OF THE PUBLIC DO WE

INTEND TO ENGAGE?)

• Other professionals (able to easily understand concepts);

• General public (Will our approach for the general public work for
politicians as well?);

• Politicians (We must ensure buy in.);

• Lobby groups could be used as our link to the public.

Supplementary discussion notes.

• Should we only target those who are interested in noise?

• Should we spend money on communicating to those who are not

interested (see also above)?

• Will politicians be more likely to engage with the issue of noise directly as
a result of their own experience and interest, or will it be mainly in
response to public concern or pressure?

• Lobby groups might focus on a particular issue but not be balanced in

considering all issue. In such case, resources expended in responding
to a lobby group’s concerns must be proportionate to ensure that all
issues of concern to the public are addressed.

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WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?

• To promote understanding;

• To encourage acceptance;

• To portray reality.

Supplementary discussion notes.

• As a first step we need to inform the public but the second step will
require us to educate the public.

WHAT TYPE OF REACTION DO WE WANT / EXPECT?

• We hope to achieve understanding and acceptance.

WHAT SORT OF INFORMATION DO WE NEED TO PROVIDE AND HOW?

• Statutory requirement to inform public of strategic noise maps, but how
useful will this be?

Supplementary discussion notes.

Level of Detail
• For other professionals, experts, acousticians – need more specialised,
very detailed information. High quality (ie detailed) strategic maps should
be available. They should be capable of being interrogated in order to
determine effect/benefit of various possible actions ie simulate effect of
different flows etc.

• For general public and politicians – need more general information.

However the public will want to know about the noise near their house.
Perhaps we could provide information in layers – the further down the
layers go the more detailed the information.

• In order for the public to relate to and accept the maps they will need full
details so a balance of information must be struck.

Three colours for banding

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• Discussed using maps with three colours – red, yellow, green. However,
if there are only three colours then small improvements will not be
enough to move an area into another colour band and the map will not
reflect the improvement. It might also fail to distinguish between different
locations near a resident’s house, that the resident can aurally
distinguish, therby undermining confidence in and understanding of the
maps (see also below).

• If banding is used will it vary between member states, within member

states, at a local level? Hyde Park could be classed as green in London
because it is relatively quiet compared to the rest of London. However,
somewhere outside London that has a similar noise level to Hyde Park
could be considered noisy and been in the red band.

• If people are only interested in noise levels local to their house – the
banding could be varied between MS’s or neighbourhoods. However, if
people use the information when moving to a new area or new MS –
consistency would be necessary.

• If banding is used the problem will be the first band of houses closest to
the noise source.

Detail of maps and Acceptance by the public

• For the public the maps need to be local as noise is a local issue.
However, the strategic maps don’t include all roads and therefore there is
a lack of local information. The maps for the public need to reflect the
reality of what the public are experiencing. This will require additional
information, over and above the requirements of END.

It is important if strategic maps and local maps are to be produced that they do
not contradict each other.

• If we use emotive language like ‘health risk’ and the government do not
take any action in relation to noisy areas will the public be unduly
worried?

Use of maps for Action Planning

• There is a requirement to consult in relation to the Action Plans as well.
The maps will identify where action is required but not what action is
required. The action plans only need to consider the worst cases and the
public must be made aware of this limitation. We must have detailed

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maps if we are to determine the worst cases. The public will have to be
told how we have chosen the areas to take action in.

• In reality, how would the public contribute to the action plan for railway
noise? Strategic maps could be sufficient for railway noise.

• The public would be better placed to comment on road noise by making

traffic management suggestions. However, public will not be in a position
to comment on low noise road surfaces. By engaging the public at an
early stage we can raise interest and obtain local data to supplement
mapping information. In smaller communities people will know the noise
sources and this will make it easier to take action.

• In Finland the local authorities make the maps and devise the action
plans and this system has worked well.

• Could noise-mapping results affect property values, have tax

implications?

• What about the requirement to preserve ‘quiet areas’? What is a ‘quiet

area’? It is all relative. If noise is a real health risk then all identified ‘hot
spots’ must be tackled. If noise is not such a serious issue then it is a
different problem requiring different mechanisms.

PROPOSALS FOR A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AT NATIONAL,

REGIONAL, LOCAL LEVEL.

• Our group did not have an opportunity to discuss a communication

strategy during the workshop.

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Group 3
Volker Irmer
Catarine Freitas
Jean Marc Abramowitch
Jorge Jakobsen
Nicola Britton
Steve Crawshaw
Irina Filippova
Katja Pliquett
Kris van Neer
Rick Jones (facilitator)
Anna Backman (support)

What are the likely problems in communicating the END mapping to the public?
An initial reaction within the Group was “are the public likely to be interested
anyway?” It was agreed that the challenge was to engage the public in order to
create that interest. Conversely, there is the danger that expectations will be
raised to an unrealistically high level so that the public expect significant
improvements. A “plan” does not necessarily result in immediate “action”!
Local Authorities might see an opportunity to obtain action-plan funding from
central government for ambitious projects, leading to potential local vs national
conflict if funds are not forthcoming. National and local authorities might
attempt to be helpful by providing a large amount of detailed and technical
information, which could easily be counterproductive as it could lead to the
public being confused or losing interest. Communication by national
government could be out of touch with local attitudes and issues, and therefore
potentially considered irrelevant by the public.

Who is the target audience? (what part of the public do we intend to engage?)
Individual citizens and households are the ultimate target, but there are various
routes by which they can be reached, and also a range of bodies who
represent, or who claim to represent, the public. Therefore, as well as
individuals, Local Authorities, NGOs, Lobby Groups and Pressure Groups all
need to be targeted with appropriate information and material. The Group
considered whether national politicians, especially those not directly involved in
END implementation, should also be targeted, but the majority view was that
little could be achieved via this path, as those politicians that should be
engaged would already be engaged.

What is the purpose (for us)?

The main purpose of the exercise is to ensure that the process is explained to
the public, enabling them to appreciate that the END is an initiative aimed at

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understanding environmental noise exposure and, in time, improving the

situation for those exposed to undesirable levels. The purpose should also be
to make the public in general understand that they are not only receivers of
noise, but also producers, with the aim of encouraging changes in behaviour.
Finally, an understanding of the process and its aims should lead to a higher
level of trust from the public, and a greater credibility for the exercise.

What type of reaction do we want/expect?

The desired reaction is an acceptance that the process is for the benefit, and
participation, of all, and therefore not something that has been imposed
bureaucratically by the EC or the National Government. Ideally this will lead to
changed behaviour (eg reduced use of motor vehicles, or more careful use,
especially at night). We would also want the awareness amongst the public to
lead to pressure on politicians, on industry, and on transport operators etc to
improve the noise environment via Member State legislation and noise-reducing
technology as appropriate. However, we might also expect negative reactions if
people do feel that the process has been imposed, is unrealistic, does not
address local issues and concerns, will not lead to any improvements in
people’s lives, or just another piece of EC legislation with fine aspirations but no
ability to deliver. If any of these concerns do eventually prove to be justified,
then further negative reactions can be expected. Other factors that might lead
to negative response and lack of credibility are the fact that not all noise
sources are included, or have an influence, when annual average Lden and Lnight
are being considered, and that consolidated maps showing the overall noise
environment will not necessarily be produced (as the END doesn’t require
them).

What sort of information do we need to provide and how?

The key information that should be provided should be educational, before any
maps, tables, action plans are presented. This education should be at an
appropriate level, not highly technical and detailed, but sufficient for people to
understand the concept of decibels, A-weighting, what is the typical dB range
found in day-to-day life (without suggesting any “acceptable” or “unacceptable”
values, which might lead to areas and properties being blighted), Lden and Lnight,
annual averaging, dose-response. Obviously the maps and tables of population
exposed etc will be provided as required under the END, but it might be worth
enhancing these with additional features (such as 3D fly-through if the
information is web-based) so that curious members of the public will be more
likely to explore the information and engage in the process. Auralisation was
discussed by the Group and the consensus was that it does not have a lot of
relevance in supporting the mapping process because one event, such as a car
pass-by, bears little relation to an annual average Lden or Lnight. However,
auralisation was considered to have more potential in relation to Action

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Planning, as it is possible to demonstrate the effect of such control measures as

low noise road surfaces, low rail head roughness via grinding, noise barriers etc
in a way that will tend to be reflected in the reductions that might be achieved
both for individual events and for annual average Lden and Lnight levels.

Proposals for a communication strategy at national, regional or local level

The Group were very concerned that a national strategy should only provide an
overall framework of information for the public, because of national
government’s distance from local communities and issues. The proposal that
emerged was therefore that the bulk of the information, and its interpretation
and associated support, should be provided at a Local Authority level, because
it is only at a local level that the relevant issues are truly understood and where
the relevant NGOs, interest groups, vulnerable groups and sensitive locations
and buildings are known and able to be engaged appropriately. As some
Member States already have communication networks and processes in place
for other issues (eg air quality or flood risk) that experience should be drawn on,
and the existing technology and techniques possibly utilised.

RRK Jones, 6 October 2006

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Group 4
Prepared by
Simon Shilton and Max Dixon

Group Participants
Soren Rasmussen
Christian Popp
Jeroen Borst
Jacques Lambert
William Egan
Anna Mahoney
Parminder Dhillon
Juris Pakalns
Stephen Turner

Introduction
The group discussion began reasonably quietly but did proceed into quite an
interesting discussion regarding most of the issues we were asked to consider.
The approach taken was to try to encourage a frank debate and interchange of
ideas, rather than to try and produce a consensus decision regarding each
issue, and overall we think this was reasonably successful. Below we will
attempt to summarise the general discussion within the group and highlight
some of the key ideas brought out which we hope will be of use in your work
going forward. It is probably fair to say that the discussion was informed by the
morning’s presentations, rather than focused on any particular issued raised by
them, whilst it was also illuminated by the previous experience of a number of
group members in the work with previous public dissemination and consultation
exercises.

Who is our target audience?

The requirement of the END to disseminate the results to the public was
emphasised, along with concern that steps must be taken to try to minimise the
effect, reported from the Norderstedt experience during the morning session, of
the public stakeholder groups having a disproportionate level of well educated
retired members. The Public was agreed to be a multifaceted body, with many
elements, cultures, levels of education, ages and groupings to be considered.
This lead onto the next point as it effectively helps identify the end users.

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What sort of information do we need to provide and how?

The diversity of the end users identified leads onto a conclusion that many of
the end users will require a different point of entry into the process if each is to
be successfully engaged. It was discussed that differing media types, language
(tone as well as type), technical content and physical access points would all be
required for the process to succeed as desired.

This was illustrated by the variety of media and formats presented during the
morning from Italy and Portugal, ranging from kindergarten level through to
quite detailed technical documentation across a number of media formats e.g.
internet, posters, leaflets, booklets, postcards etc.

There was much discussion regarding the role of the decibel within the
information to be presented, with the majority of the group members having
practical experience trying to move away from an over reliance upon it, and
urging other approaches to be formulated and promoted. Our conclusion was
that the decibel probably does have a role to play, but it is almost certainly too
high a point of entry into the process. Other means should be developed, which
along with supporting information which link together to provide a path which
would enable an interested participant to reach an understanding of the
meaning of decibels should they have a desire.

There was also some concern about the possibility of the noise results being
presented out of context and outside the control of noise experts, however with
services such as UpMyStreet and Envirosearch specialising in pulling together
multiple location related public datasets, and various forms of public right of
access to environmental information, that is considered inevitable, which may
actually mean that producing the bare minimum is not an option, as the
information may well take on a life of its own. In light of this it is probably
important to provide background and context to the noise mapping process, and
some guidance on what the results do, and possibly do not, actually indicate.

There was also some discussion regarding the place of combined, or

consolidated, maps. Here a consensus was not reached, with concern over
them having no meaning being raised, being countered by the fact that they are
already widely presented, and often align with the public expectations of what
would be delivered i.e. they do not hear roads, railways and aircraft in isolation
in many situations, rather a combination. This lead onto a brief discussion as to
whether combined annoyance maps would actually have more technical
meaning, and may therefore have some relevance. There was also brief
discussion of how to deal with public concerns which might be masked by
energy-averaging, e.g. people might be more interested to know the number of
aircraft or rail freight movements during the quietest period of the night than the
Lnight for the whole 8 hour period. Finally combined maps may have a role to
play in helping to identify quiet areas.

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What is the purpose?

The purpose of the communication process was discussed and generally
considered an opportunity for the technical professionals and responsible
authorities to demonstrate to the public that somebody is doing something
about longer term noise issues associated within environmental noise – thus it
would be best to present mapping as part of the action planning process. It is
considered important to provide information on why this is being done, including
the potential health effects, to illustrate that a lower noise climate can have
secondary benefits. Also to demonstrate that there is a European wide process
in place, and it aims to help prevent impact creep, and hopefully ensure that the
future noise climate is no worse than today, and hopefully better.

The second purpose should be to provide information on the hierarchy of

responsibility, i.e. Individuals; or Local, National or EU Government Level;
regarding the various potential actions which could be carried out to help reduce
long term environmental noise issues. This helps to provide an outlet

The third purpose should be to empower the individual to do something about

their own contribution to the noise environment should they wish to i.e. car
choice, tyre choice (when tyre labelling is fully implemented), mode of transport
etc

What reaction do we want/expect? and what are the likely problems in

communicating the END mapping to the public?

These two issues tended to lead into each other and cross over, which lead to
the following general points being raised and discussed:

o The results are likely to be considered accurate, and the uncertainties

associated with them will be difficult to convey (not dissimilar to flood risk
mapping for example)

o It will raise an expectation that noise levels will decrease in the future,
and that actions will be carried out

o Difficulty in reaching many sectors of society

o Difficulty in making the information relevant

o Many issues regarding technical complexity and the use of the decibel

o Explaining the complexity of the responsibility structure considered an

issue – i.e. differing roles of EU; National, Regional and Local
Government; National Road and Rail Authorities and Airport operators
within both the mapping and action planning processes – it is not obvious
who did/does what, and who should do what in the future

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o Some previous experience suggested that there will be either complete

indifference, or concern that the process does not deal with their issues –
typically event driven aspects such as barking dogs, car stereos,
neighbours, late night taxis, motorbikes, unusual freight train movements,
etc.

o The information supplied needs to provide, or link readily to, solutions,

not just a description of the problems. Problems presented without
solutions tend to result in either undue stress, or total disengagement.
Public information needs to include a number of small steps which could
be adopted by almost anybody if they wish to contribute to reducing the
problems e.g. walk/cycle, or choose a quieter car or tyre (when the
information is available), take the bus/train instead of driving, etc. Many
issues do end up linked to other environmental campaigns, so could
efforts be combined?

In addition to this are some thoughts arising from observing the discussion.
It was unavoidable to feel that acoustics and noise mapping professionals may
have a good understanding of what the maps, results and noise levels mean in
technical terms, but they have little direct experience in communicating the
results across to a non-technical audience. Market researchers, sociologists
and others, as represented at the meeting, could provide some form of bridge
between experts and the target groups within the public, which will be required
for the information process to be successful, although cost could be an issue,
and community activists should still be able to access decision makers and their
technical advisers.

It is arguably very important for the technical specialists to challenge their own
expectations about the process as we are possibly technically disconnected
from the public in a similar way to which politicians are often accused of being
politically disconnected. As an example of the challenge, try to recollect the last
time you attempted to explain noise mapping and the END to an acquaintance
who knows nothing about it, whilst retaining their attention?

Elements towards a presentation strategy

Due to lack of time during the workshop, this section is based on issues
drawn out of discussion by the authors, rather than necessarily representing
a group consensus.

• Noise mapping data should be presented to the public as the first stage
in the noise action planning process. For example, popular leaflets
containing noise maps could include questions about noise problems,

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and any positive local soundscape features (e.g. wildlife sites, markets).

• Communication should consider equalities issues, e.g. avoiding over-

reliance on the internet, or methods liable to reinforce social exclusion,
e.g. seeking to avoid bias in favour of articulate, wealthier, longer-
established or older groups. Consider special communication methods
for specific population groups, e.g. children through schools. Consider
disability access, e.g. colour-blind. Consider innovative popular
communication methods, e.g. noise management charette, or
soundscape planning day, including soundwalks, decision games, e.g.
democs, http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/democs.aspx).

• Provide special information on noise maps targeted at stakeholder

groups additional to the general public, e.g. estate agents with leaflets to
give to people moving house, large social and private housing landlords,
town planners, urban designers and architects, highway engineers,
designers and managers of parks, nature conservation sites and other
open spaces. When providing information to house-movers, it is
particularly important not to just provide END noise contours, but flight
path data (i.e. where planes actually go, cf Sydney experience, see
http://www.dotars.gov.au).

• Provide background information on the limited scope of END, and ‘who

does what’ locally, including in terms of other noise problems people may
have (e.g. what to do if you have a noisy neighbour). Ideally, outline
existing action on noise (including what is integrated in, or a by-product
of, other programmes), and review other noise management measures,
including how noise complaints are handled, at the same time as noise
action planning under END.

• Explain noise maps in simple ‘noisy>>>quiet’ terms, while still providing

access to decibel data. Explain basic facts about the nature of noise and
human response. If using standardised annoyance curve-based data,
include strong caveats on the range of individual variation in propensity
to report annoyance.

• For noise sources, which typically consist of events (e.g. aircraft, trains),
rather than near-continuous noise (e.g. road traffic), include data on
numbers of movements (e.g. flight path movement charts, with average
daily movements, and range of movements, or typical range of night

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freight trains).

• Include information on the sorts of actions that can be taken by public

authorities (including both network-wide measures, like quieter surfaces,
and examples of local combined measures), and by individuals (e.g.
using quieter transport modes).

• For governmental decision-makers, include cost-benefit information,

using value of noise data, so that it is clear where spending on noise
reduction could avoid costs or increase values. This will be most
important in those administrations where local property tax is based on
local values which can be affected by noise, but cost-benefit information
would be useful for all public authorities.

• Consider using appropriate partners to help improve social

communication between noise specialists and public, e.g. market
researchers, sociologists, environmental and community non-
governmental organisations (latter may assist with small grant, while it
should be clearly understood this does not compromise their
independent stance).

• Use established local channels of political and non-governmental

communication, e.g. local municipalities, and environmental non-
governmental civic forums, such as established for LA21.

• Break down an agglomeration noise map into maps of local municipality

areas, or other areas that have community identity to which the public
can relate, and make these available in paper leaflets/booklets in local
libraries and town halls. Ensure people can read street names, and
identify key local features (e.g. schools and public open spaces).

• Consider monitoring, e.g. periodic sample public attitude polling, to

gauge both changes in attitudes to noise, and public awareness of
mapping, possibly combined with monitoring of other noise services (e.g.
how complaints are dealt with).

• Consider discussing the noise maps within the context of the existing
noise management and control process available within the
district/country e.g. within England this could include a basic walk
through of the areas of applicability and use of existing powers such as:

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Land Compensation Act, Noise Insulation Regs, PPS24, Noise Act,

FPNs, BS4142, BS5228, MPS11, Quiet Areas, statutory nuisance, etc –
which would help to demonstrate that the END process is a compliment
to a range of other initiatives and processes.

• It is suggested that national government helps to develop a publicity

campaign which alert the national media to the public liaison, whilst in
turn it also engages with the regional or local authorities to support them
with the more direct and “hands on” aspects of the public liaison and
action planning.

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Group 5
Members: Andrew Colthurst, Henk Wolfert, Brian McManus, Bruno Vincent,
Sara-Braga Dioniso, Nigel Jones, Matthas Hintzsche, Louise Shaw, Alexandra
Mause, Arja Even, Uscila Valdas

Q. Who is our target audience? (what part of the public do we intend to engage?)
General Public: Specific Receptor Related Groups, including any Directive
source

• Hospitals

• Schools

• School children

Politicians:

• Body politic

• Particular portfolio holders

Executive:

• Action planning body/authority

• Education

• Land use

Technical Specialists:
• Internal public sector

• External consultants

• Data resellers

Data Providers:
• Highway authorities

• Railway authorities

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• Airport/aviation authorities

Special Interest Groups:

• Young people

• Pressure Groups

Problems: All groups may have different expectations as to what strategic

mapping means.

1. Different educational standards

2. Different age groups
3. Variation in health status.
4. Different cultures and language (migrants)

Q. What is the purpose? (for us)

• To provide information to all of the groups identified.

• To generate feedback from the public.

• To raise public awareness about noise.

• To meet regulatory obligations, both END and ÅRHUS convention

(Freedom of Information)

Q. What type of Reaction do we want/expect?

• Measured reaction, i.e. not to raise unrealistic expectations.

• Better understanding of the different sources and the issues particular to

each.

• Develop clarity of understanding/perception in public.

• Critical and constructive feedback from technical specialists.

• Commitment from local, regional and central administration.

Q. What sort of information do we need to provide and how?

• Format output for the variety of specific target audiences.

• Maps possibly need to be constant to avoid confusion. Supporting

information may be targeted.

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• There is an issue regarding the resolution – i.e. these are strategic maps
but expectations may be for finer detail, e.g. street/house.

• Maybe focus on strategic element by 3 colour banding and then drill

down in the ‘red’ areas (hotspots).

• The broad approach of the 3 colour banding risks disappointing public

expectations.

• Need to explain limitations of action available to Local Authorities. – i.e.

where responsibility lies for particular aspects.

Q. Proposals for a communication strategy at National, Regional or Local level

• KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!

• Aims, Objectives and Targets to be established clearly at the outset

• Determine purpose at outset: To raise expectations or To keep

them low.

• Maps should look simple

• Uniformity/consistency of communication across the nation(s?)

• Maps need to be supported by other means of communication, e.g. by

presenting in a empathetic way.

• Raise awareness

• Social network communities very important particularly for Local

Authorities.

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