§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to extend the use of acoustically absorbent noise barriers alongside roads. [39484]
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§ Mr. WattsI have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 24 July 1996:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question concerning any plans for extending the use of acoustically absorbent noise barriers alongside roads.Noise mitigation barriers are prescribed in principle by location, length and height; various other characteristics may be provided for in particular contracts to prescribe quality and type of materials, structural form and acoustic properties.Decisions on the use of absorbent materials in noise barriers are made on a case by case basis on the grounds of technical merit and cost-effectiveness. They do provide a measure of relief from reverberation of traffic noise which reduces the effectiveness of conventional barriers in some circumstances.There are no forward plans to specifically extend the use of absorbent materials, except to the extent that circumstances may justify it.