The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority

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The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy Mayor of London 193 5 integrated noise management 5.1 Noise is a complex pollutant, with many different implications for people, many of them highly dependent on context. Improving the noise environment of a changing city, with its many competing pressures, will require concerted analysis and action across many levels. Relationships between ‘ambient’ and ‘nuisance’ noise have been considered where relevant in previous chapters. Recognising that the Greater London Authority Act 1999 excludes certain noise sources from the definition of ‘ambient noise’, this final chapter highlights the need for an integrated approach. Box 59: Issues for national strategy ‘Noise occupies a paradoxical position in terms of UK environment policy. By contrast with other pollutants, it is almost universal in our urban areas, is increasingly encroaching on rural, “tranquil” areas, and is progressively eroding the period of night-time quiet. Despite this, the control of noise has never been subject to an overarching policy or legislative framework, in the same way as, for example, air quality or waste disposal. This neglect may be partially explained by the fact that the effects of noise on the general population have been historically easy to overlook. In addition, the nature of noise, and the reaction of people to it, does not lend it easily to the sort of mechanistic approach available to other pollutants.’ 1 5.2 UK noise policy and legislation has developed incrementally, seeking to contain the worst problems. A shift to more pro-active approaches increases the importance of integrating action on ambient noise with other noise issues. For example, reducing road traffic in a mixed use town centre could mean that noise from pubs or cafés becomes more perceptible to residents. An integrated approach could include securing support from venue operators for better area management. Noise policy needs to take an integrated view across all sources, if cost-effectiveness is to be secured (see also paragraph 4.2). 5.3 When discussing what annoys them, people often refer to specific noises rather than broad categories of noise - ‘motor bikes’ rather than traffic; ‘music’ or ‘dogs’ rather than the general noise level in their neighbourhood. Policy needs to consider not just long term ‘averaged noise’, but the ‘noise events’ within it. Policy needs to consider people’s overall exposure as they move through their daily lives - on the way to work, at work, and in leisure activities. Understanding of combined effects needs to be further developed. People’s priorities may vary across London, and between different groups of Londoners. A multi-source approach focused on the individual implies action at the level closest to communities. policy 79 The Mayor will urge the Government, in its proposed work on adverse effects, to support studies of personal noise exposure in complex urban
194 Mayor of London The Mayor’s Ambient Noise Strategy environments, in overall exposure terms, including at work, while travelling, and in leisure activities. Hearing-friendly design and management 5.4 It has been estimated that about one in seven people in the UK has some form of hearing loss, from slight impairment to profound deafness. Hearing loss does not necessarily mean less concern about noise. In many cases, people need lower levels of interfering sound in order to hear what they want to hear. Inductive loop systems make the use of aids more effective, but will not answer all needs. Noise which can interfere with communication includes traffic and ‘wallpaper’ music, which can also be annoying to people in general. People with a visual impairment may need to rely on clear aural cues. Environments which are supportive, both acoustically and visually, to people with a hearing difficulty, are likely to reduce stress for people as a whole. The ‘Good Practice Guide: Providing access to public services for deaf people’ UK Council on Deafness, 2001 offers advice. Better skills and understanding of hearing-friendly design are needed across the development industry. 2 policy 80 The Mayor will urge those commissioning, designing, regulating, altering and managing buildings and spaces to which people need access to adopt hearing-friendly design and management good practice. Healthy hearing and leisure sound - pubs, clubs, and other pastimes 5.5 Piped music in general can seem oppressive to many people. High levels of noise in leisure venues, particularly from amplified sound, have become a cause for concern. Understanding speech in such conditions typically becomes more difficult as people’s hearing changes with age. As well as deterring many users, this can also be a health issue. Noise exposure which can damage hearing is not confined to factories. Many people are exposed to loud noise in leisure activities, including amplification equipment in homes and leisure venues. High sound levels are encountered in restaurants, theatres, cinemas and concert halls, and at sporting events and festivals, as well as in many pubs and clubs. Percussive or impulsive noise, such as from fireworks, can pose particular risks. Risks have traditionally been considered most severe to workers. Venue visitors may be unaware of the risk to their hearing, which may have cumulative effects with regular exposure, added to that in other parts of their daily lives. 5.6 If people’s hearing is damaged while clubbing, or using in-car sound systems or personal headphones at excessive volumes, they may not be able to listen to home entertainment without turning the volume control up to levels that annoy their neighbours. In due course, they may themselves come to need lower levels of ‘interference noise’. Authors of a
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