Consultation on Transportation Noise Action Plan

Noise is an important public health issue which can have negative impacts on human health and well-being. To manage noise in a consistent way, Transport Scotland is currently finalising the Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP). This is a requirement of the European Union’s Environmental Noise Directive (END), and describes the actions Transport Scotland will take during 2019 to 2023 with respect to road and rail related noise.

END was adopted in 2004 and requires member states to bring about measures which are intended to avoid, prevent or reduce, on a prioritised area basis, the harmful effects, including annoyance due to the exposure to environmental noise. The Directive was transposed through the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006. This consultation applies to Scotland only and seeks the views of those individuals and / or organisations that hold an interest in noise pollution from roads and railways. 

Why we're consulting

The Environmental Noise Directive requires, on a five yearly cycle (Rounds), the Scottish Government to produce strategic noise maps, to prepare a series of specific noise action plans based on the results of these noise maps, and to develop action plans to prioritise the management of noise.

Rounds 1 and 2 of The Environmental Noise Directive have been completed and actions are now well underway on Round 3. For this the noise mapping took place during 2017 and the results were published on the Scotland's Noise website (completed actions for Round 1 and Round 2 can also be found on this website).

The specific noise action plans required by the Environmental Noise Directive relate to agglomerations (areas of a particular population density), airports (of a specific size), and areas outwith the agglomerations.

Consultation on the action plans for the four agglomerations in Round 3 (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow) opened on 15 October 2018 and closed on 23 November 2018. The Action Plans for the airports are being taken forward by the relevant airport authorities.

This Consultation on the Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2019 – 2023 relates to areas outwith the agglomerations.

The consultation will run for 6 weeks from opening, after which consultation responses will be evaluated and where appropriate the draft noise action plans amended. It is anticipated that the noise action plans will be formally approved early in 2019. Summaries of the formally adopted Noise Action Plans will then be submitted to the European Commission, in line with timetables set out in the Environmental Noise Directive.

The Action Plans will be then be valid for five years from the date they are adopted, as set out in the Environmental Noise Directive and the Regulations. If a major development occurs within the five year timeframe, which affects the approved noise Action Plans, the plans will be reviewed and revised if necessary.

The consultation closes on 16 January 2019.