One year ago the UK started taking steps out of the first COVID-19 national lockdown. Advice to stay at home saw massive reductions in road , rail and air traffic – and in traffic noise. John Bynorth, Policy and Communications Officer at EPS Scotland considers the impact of lockdown on neighbour noise. Last Spring, UK Government and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland issued ‘stay-at-home’ messages. As well as lack of traffic, […]

During Noise Action Week1 Environmental Protection UK2 are highlighting the need to support the essential work of environmental health professionals (EHPs) on the front line tackling noise in our neighbourhoods. Currently 19% of EHPs – roughly 664 – specialise in environmental protection (which includes noise and air pollution) – that’s 1 – 2 specialist EHPs per local authority in England. These are the findings of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) recent workforce survey3. In […]

For over 20 years EPUK has co-ordinated an annual initiative to raise the profile of unhealthy noise and the impact it has on our physical and mental health. We took a quiet break at the height of the pandemic last year but are pleased to say we’re back! Noise Action Week is Back! 24th – 29th May After a quiet break during the pandemic Noise Action Week is back! The campaign coincides with lockdowns easing […]

We’ve all been affected by annoying and unhealthy noise – from neighbours, transport, pets and even others in our own homes. Noise Action Week 2019 – 20 – 25 May – gives local councils, housing providers and acoustics professionals the opportunity to promote solutions to noise problems that impact on our health Noise pollution is: recognised by the Chief Medical Officer in England as second only to air pollution in damaging public health. the pollutant […]

Exposure to loud or annoying noise has long been associated with disturbance, stress and anxiety, so its fitting that the new World Health Organisation(WHO) Environmental Noise Guidelines for Europe are published today, World Mental Health Day. Noise is not just an annoyance, and these new guidelines document stronger evidence of the impacts noise exposure can have on our cardiovascular and metabolic health. WHO rank environmental noise as a serious threat to public health, second only […]

Shhhh!!! Project DeStress, run by Dr Sarah Payne at Heriot-Watt University, is a research project exploring quiet urban outdoor places and their health-promoting properties. For creating healthy, sustainable societies, preserving quiet can be just as important as reducing noises Project DeStress aims to raise awareness to the public, practitioners, and stakeholders about the important value of quiet places in cities. Step one in this project is to identify where and what the public think quiet areas […]

New research shows a third of London’s parks are severely impacted by traffic noise. At the beginning of this week CPRE London (the London branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England) published the results of a survey of traffic noise in 885 London parks. Neil Sinden and Alice Roberts of CPRE London summarise the findings. This report – “Traffic Noise in London Parks” marks the launch of a new campaign by CPRE London called Tranquil […]

That noise from transport sources affects our health is acknowledged by the World Health Organisation and the Chief Medical Officer for England. Expansion of airports and the reduction of the night time quiet period means more of us could be exposed to aircraft niose for longer.  John Gulliver, Professor of Environmental and Exposure Sciences at University of Leicester gives and overview of the impacts of transport noise and introduces new studies into the health effects […]

In recent weeks we’ve come across several stories where students living in shared houses – HMOs – are causing noise problems in communities. In  Durham  regular student parties have led to residents changing the rooms they sleep in to avoid noise. One is even reported to be sleeping in his bath in an effort to get some peace. In Brighton residents are calling for tighter regulation on houses occupied by students to reduce the blight […]

The Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs say that activities during Noise Action Week are one of the best ways to tackle neighbour noise in Northern Ireland. They also recommend education, through the Noise Statistics Report, and the general work of district councils, to be appropriate ways of preventing noise issues. This advice is offered with publication of noise complaint statistics showing complaints in Northern Ireland rose by 13% last year. Noise Complaint Statistics […]