Noise annoyance in Norway. 1999-2002. Revised figures

Noise from road traffic most annoying

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Road traffic is by far the most important source of noise in Norway. According to revised figures, road traffic caused near 80 per cent of the noise annoyance in 2002. Manufacturing industries, railways, air traffic and construction contributed to 4 per cent each, while other industries accounted for 2 per cent.

Statistics Norway now publishes revised figures for noise annoyance in Norway, because regrettable errors were discovered in the article published 7 January 2004. One error led to overestimated noise annoyance from manufacturing and other industries, another showed too large reduction in noise from railways.

About the model

Commissioned by the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority, and in cooperation with the Directorate of Public Roads, Avinor, the Norwegian National Rail Administration and Forsvarsbygg (a public enterprise placed under the Ministry of Defense), Statistics Norway has developed a model to calculate noise exposure and noise annoyance in Norway. The model calculates data for noise exposure from various sources (measured as the number of people exposed to different noise levels) and noise annoyance (measured using the noise annoyance index=SPI) in Norway in 1999 and subsequent years. The model shall quantify noise exposure and noise annoyance from road traffic, railways, air traffic, industries and other important sources. The main goal is to present annual status and trend for noise exposure at national and county levels and for the most densely populated municipalities as a statistical input to the national key figures for noise as defined by the environmental authorities.

 

Because of the great degree of uncertainty in the first version of the model, the work this year has been focused on improvements in calculation routines and methods, especially for road traffic, but also for air traffic and industrial noise. In addition, a new method is developed for noise from railways. For noise from road traffic, figures for 2001 have been used now, but in 2005, results from the new method with figures for 1999 and 2003 will be presented. Work is still going on to establish more detailed models for noise from road traffic.

 

A GIS (Geographical Information System) model has been developed where the noise level of each dwelling in Norway is calculated and recorded. So far, noise data have been calculated for road traffic, industries, air traffic and railways. For other noise sources, figures from existing surveys have been used. The model input data are based on existing noise surveys carried out by sector authorities and research institutions, and additional calculations for dwellings not covered by existing surveys. From 2007, more detailed noise data for large towns and areas with heavy traffic will be used in the model, to meet the EU demands.

 

The exposure and annoyance index calculations refer to the dwellings. I.e., it is assumed that all persons in Norway all the time stay at their permanent address recorded in the Population register. This is evidently not a true picture of the reality, as noise annoyance at working places, schools, recreational areas, etc. are not included in the calculations. Further developments in the model will need to be considered in order to be able to give a more precise picture of actual noise annoyance.

 

The lower limit (noise level) to include people exposed to noise in the SPI calculations is set in accordance with a report from the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (Report 1714/2000), and varies between different sources. The limit is 48 dBA for industrial noise, 50 dBA for noise from railways and 55 dBA for noise from road traffic.

Noise to be reduced by 25 per cent

The Norwegian parliament (the Storting) has decided that the noise annoyance shall be reduced by 25 per cent by 2010 relative to the base year 1999. To make it possible to monitor the development in noise annoyance, Statistics Norway is developing a model to calculate the number of persons exposed to noise from various sources. The model transforms the figures into a noise annoyance index (SPI). The index will be used to follow the progress towards the noise reduction target.

Road traffic the most important source of noise

Road traffic is much the largest source of noise in Norway. Preliminary figures show that 79 per cent of the noise annoyance in 2002 came from road traffic. Manufacturing industries, railway, air traffic and construction contributed to 4 per cent each, while other industries accounted for 2 per cent. The rest of the noise annoyance came from shooting ranges and motor racing tracks (3 per cent together). Noise from military firing ranges, tramways and subways and from various products used outdoors (lawn mowers, snow scooters, etc.), is not included in this first version of the noise model, but is planned to be included in future versions.

Noise annoyance index (SPI 1 ), by source. 1999 and 2002
 
      SPI 1999      SPI 2002       Per cent, 2002       1999-2002 (per cent)
 
Total - all sources ..  579 038  100 ..
         
Road traffic 2 ..  459 103 79 ..
Manufaturing industry 24 724 23 517 4 -5
Other industries 10 929 11 292 2 3
Air traffic 26 710 23 375 4 -12
Railways 27 745 23 699 4 -15
Construction 3 21 079 21 144 4 0
Firing ranges (military) .. .. .. ..
Shooting ranges 4 12 060 12 060 2 0
Motor sport tracks 4 4 848 4 848 1 0
Products, outdoors .. .. .. ..
 
1   SPI for road traffic applies to noise levels exceeding 55 dBA.
2   SPI from road traffic in 2001 has been calculated in the noise model. Due to inconsistency
problems, the estimated SPI level in 2001 has been back calculated to 1999, based on
recorded changes in traffic and assumed technological changes in the car fleet. The
method is now revised, and figures based on the new method wil be published next year.
3   Source of 1999 figures: A report from KILDE Akustikk: 'Støy fra bygge- og anleggsvirksomhet i
Norge' (Noise from construction in Norway), rapp R1132, 1999; In Norwegian. The figures for
2001 are calculated based on the 1999 figures and scaled for change in activity level.
4   New SPI values not calculated in this project. 1999 values are used also for 2002. Source of
1999 values: Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (2000).
Source:  Source: The noise model, Statistics Norway.

By now, we cannot say anything about the changes in noise annoyance from road traffic relative to the base year 1999. For railways, air traffic and manufacturing industry, the noise is reduced. These sources, however, together make up only 12 per cent of total SPI. There has been a strong fall in the number of persons exposed to the highest noise levels. For levels above 70 dBA, the decrease is 43 per cent for noise from air traffic and 61 per cent for noise from railways. It is by these high levels that people are most annoyed.

In 2003, an effort was made to improve the calculations of noise from road traffic, and the results from this work will be published later. This may also lead to adjustments in the 1999 share of people annoyed by noise from road traffic.

 

Noise annoyance from railways drops by 15 per cent

Railways contributed to 4 per cent of the noise annoyance in 2002. From 1999 to 2002, noise annoyance from railways was reduced by 15 per cent. This can be explained by several factors, for example reduction in railway traffic and more silent trains.

while noise from air traffic goes down by 12 per cent

Air traffic had a share of 4 per cent of the noise annoyance in 2002. Jet fighters near military airports contribute much to this. The air traffic index shows a decrease by 12 per cent from 1999 to 2002. The reason is reduced activity at military airports as well as reduction in the number of landings and take-offs at civil airports.

Decrease in noise from industries

The calculations of SPI from manufacturing and other industries have been changed according to new examinations carried out by SINTEF (2003). For even industrial noise, the noise annoyance level is the same as for road traffic. In addition, it has now been taken into account that some enterprises have great variations in the noise level. This explains the big differences between the figures published in 2003 and 2004 for this source of noise.

The latest calculations show that noise from industries accounts for 4 per cent of the total SPI and was 5 per cent lower than in 1999. However, these figures are uncertain.

Uncertainties

The uncertainty in these calculations varies from source to source. Generally, the uncertainty is lowest where the figures are based on measurements or surveys.

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