The effect of historic noise policy interventions in England

The effect that changes in noise exposure have on human health continues to be studied to inform the direction of future noise policy. To formulate those policies it is therefore important to determine the expected effect on noise exposure that particular policies could have. In 2012, as part of a programme on noise policy over the next 50 years (Noise Futures), the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in England (Defra) commissioned a study to examine retrospectively the effects of noise policies that had been implemented in England over the past 50 years. These interventions, which were initiated at international, national and local level, were intended to manage noise impact or reduce noise exposure by using emission limits, regulations, and planning controls. The Defra study considered polices affecting noise limits from road vehicles and from aircraft, standards for sound insulation between dwellings, legislation to control noise from wide range of sources, and specific measures to control noise from construction activities. Between them these polices addressed noise from transport sources, neighbour noise (ie, domestic sources) and neighbourhood noise (industrial, commercial, and entertainment sources). This paper describes the findings and challenges encountered in evaluating the effects of these policies.