The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority

The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy Mayor of London 75
Strategy provides the Government with the information and the
opportunity for a review. Issues include whether the historic ‘noise
threshold’ and package of measures in the Noise Insulation Regulations
are still relevant. A more flexible hierarchy of measures might be
appropriate (see Appendix A7), subject to administrative cost and
complexity. New primary leglislation could be required.
4A.35 The thermal insulation benefits obtainable from secondary glazing, or
replacement double glazing, should be taken into account, and linkages
made, as far as possible, with fuel poverty work. The insulation package
specified in the existing Noise Insulation Regulations provides only for
sound insulation to habitable rooms (bedrooms, living rooms, and
kitchens also used for dining). This does not reflect modern ‘whole house
living’ lifestyles. The Building Regulations do provide for whole house
insulation. Any new Noise Insulation Regulations should consider
specifications closer to those in the Building Regulations which are then
in force, including taking account of other noise sources where necessary.
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The Mayor will urge the Government to use the National Ambient Noise
Strategy process to review relevant provisions of the Land Compensation
Act 1973 and Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 (amended 1988), making
appropriate financial grant provision to accompany any change.
Consideration should be given to a flexible hierarchy of measures for costeffective
protection of a wider range of properties. Work should, wherever
possible, be integrated across different noise sources, and with fuel
poverty and climate change-related measures.
Neighbourhoods, town centres, public spaces, walking and cycling
4A.36 The Mayor’s policies for sustainable urban development with more intense
patterns of activity will in the longer term reduce the need to travel by
motorised means to gain access to facilities. In the short term, better
integration of the planning and management of streets and
neighbourhoods can reduce the impacts of traffic noise. Too many
Londoners suffer from the adverse effects of traffic noise, as well as other
forms of intrusion. The Mayor’s Transport Strategy seeks to improve the
attractiveness of London’s streets through ‘Streets-for-People’, ‘100
Public Spaces for London’ and other measures. Home Zones (see
glossary) and Clear Zones can also achieve noise benefits.
4A.37 Better design and management can enhance the valuable amenity role of
streets as social spaces for neighbour interaction. The Mayor’s Transport
Strategy sees 20 miles per hour as a desirable maximum traffic speed in
some appropriate local areas, particularly to improve safety. Traffic calming
has reduced accidents, but the wrong sort of road hump can increase