§ Mr. MoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the action he is taking to establish a noise insulation standard for new railway lines.
§ Mr. PortilloI have now set up a committee whose remit is to recommend to the Secretary of State for Transport a national noise insulation standard (or standards) for the operation of new railway lines which equitably relates to the standard set by regulation for new highways. The aim will be to arrive at a standard Or standards at which the duty to offer noise insulation will be triggered and to set the trigger at a level which will ensure that there is parity of treatment between those who live near new railways and those who live near new roads.
The committee will be chaired by Dr. C. G. B. Mitchell, head of the vehicles and environment division at the transport and road research laboratory. It will have the following members:
Mr. G. Llewellyn John, County Engineer and Surveyor.
West Glamorgan county council
777WDr. H. G. Leventhall, head of Institute of Environmental Engineering at South Bank polytechnic, deputy chairman of the Noise Council
Dr. J. B. Ollerhead, head of Noise Research and Analysis, Civil Aviation Authority
Mr. G. A. Parry, principal noise consultant, Technica Indecon Limited
Dr. J. G. Walker, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, Southampton University
Mr. A. V. L. Williams, British Steel Track Products
Each has been selected for his expertise in the field and not as a representative of any particular body or interest. I am most grateful to them for agreeing to serve. There will also be three members from the Department of Transport. I have asked the committee to report by the end of September. Its report will be published.
The committee will be pleased to receive views and evidence from interested parties. Submissions should be sent to the committee's secretary, Dr. P. M. Nelson of the transport and road research laboratory, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG11 6AU.