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Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Answer

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the impact of noise from motorways and high speed roads in (a) urban areas and (b) rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [91912] Ms Glenda Jackson: The Government have been well aware of concern about the level of traffic noise arising from motorways and other high speed roads. Our proposals for dealing with the problem arising from those roads for which the Secretary of State has responsibility were explained in "A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England". We announced the annual budget which was being ring-fenced for this purpose on 22 March 1999, Official Report, columns 50-51, together with criteria which would target the most serious and pressing cases. The Highways Agency has assessed a number of locations where traffic noise had been a particular cause for concern against the sift criteria. The Agency will shortly be undertaking detailed studies of those locations meeting the criteria where there are no immediate plans to replace the existing road surface with a quieter one. The studies are necessary to discover the most appropriate means of dealing with the problem. There has been no differentiation between urban and rural areas, but the studies will take into account the proximity of housing to the road. The Agency has also made good progress in the use of lower noise surfaces when maintenance is due on existing roads. Approximately three quarters of maintenance contracts undertaken since last year have used these new surfaces.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

91912; 335 c594W;335 c596W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Noise Motorways Road traffic Roads Rural areas Urban areas