Trunk Roads (Noise Barriers) (Hansard, 24 June 1996)

§ Mr. Watts

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Andrew Hunter, dated 24 June 1996: As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts MP, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State about his policy in respect of the provision of noise barriers or other mitigation measures for the trunk road network. The Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 prescribe that residential properties which will be exposed to a level of traffic noise in excess of 68 dB(A) as the result of the construction of a new road or carriageway, and of which an increase of at least 1 dB(A) is attributable to the traffic on the new road, should be provided with noise insulation. Discretionary powers to provide insulation are given by the Noise Insulation Regulations in the case of the improvement of an existing road which significantly changes its line or level. The Highways Act 1980 gives powers for highway authorities to provide various features within a highway, ancillary to its main purpose, to mitigate impacts on the environment. In accordance with EC Directive 337/85, the environmental effects of public works such as new roads, which include increased noise, are assessed and published as an environmental statement together with the legal orders for the scheme, in order to allow public comment. Noise barriers or other measures to mitigate the impact of traffic noise are included in the design of trunk road improvement proposals where it is demonstrated that without them a significant number of properties would need to be insulated. The extent of any barriers may be increased in consideration of other environmental benefits such as visual screening which they may confer. In considering the merits of barriers, their cost effectiveness in comparison with other forms of mitigation, including the insulation of property, is taken into account.