Counting the cost of noise in neighbourhoods Prevention is cheaper than cure

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Counting the cost of noise in neighbourhoods
Prevention is cheaper than cure

Press Release

Noise is never out of the news for long – whether its disputes between neighbours and music venues, the increased hearing loss caused by exposure to loud sounds, or raised voices and barking dogs. Next week is Noise Action Week, giving services supporting noise sufferers an opportunity to speak up for cost saving, common sense approaches to keeping the peace.

Most of us have been disturbed by noise at some point – and some of us driven to complain:

• The number of people bothered by neighbour noise is on the increase – going up 17% 2002 – 2012
• Investigating noise complaints to councils costs £130 - £7k per complaint – this is not just a cost to the council – those affected by noise need to provide evidence to support investigations
• Noise is an indicator of public health used to inform government policy on health in England
• Worldwide over a billion young people are at risk of hearing loss and tinnitus due to exposure to loud audio – from clubs, gaming, personal stereos – storing up an expensive future health problem

During Noise Action Week 2015 - May 18th - 23rd - local authorities, housing providers, mediation services, community support teams and others work to raise awareness of noise. Activity we know of for next week week so far includes:

• North Somerset DC - will be visiting 3 towns across the district raising awareness of noise issues
• Leicestershire councils - are repeating their successful poster campaign run across the district last year
• West Kent Housing are co-ordinating an information day on May 19th – along with partners including Sevenoaks DC, Kent CC, West Kent Mediation and Kent Police
• Elmbridge BC are launching a new and improved noise nuisance app and summer “Out of Hours “ Enforcement Service

See our website for more activities and information on noise.

More: Mary Stevens, NAW co-ordinator
[email protected]
web: http://www.noiseactionweek.org.uk Twitter: @NoiseActionWeek
http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/

Noise Action Week^TM is co-ordinated by Environmental Protection UK
NAW in Scotland: http://www.ep-scotland.org.uk/policy-focus/noise/