Transport Noise Actions Review

Progress during 2019 to 2024

All direct and indirect transport noise management objectives were progressed during the TNAP 2019 to 2024 delivery period, and these are summarised in the list below. A series of specific case studies are included in Appendix B – Case Studies. 

Objective 1 - Manage the exposure to noise in NMAs (4 Actions)

  • Noise barriers were constructed at five prioritised locations, and design was completed for two further locations. Quiet road surfacing material was the default choice for NMA locations, and potential noise management interventions were considered as part of handling noise complaints

Objective 2 - Incorporate a commitment to mitigate environmental emissions, into Transport Scotland Corporate and Annual Business Plans (4 Actions)

  • A commitment to ensure our policies, projects, and interventions manage noise emissions was included in Page 18 of the Transport Scotland Corporate Plan 2017-2020, and a TNAP Delivery Group was formed to assess key issues on TNAP delivery and noise management..
  • The Corporate Plan 2021-2024 also included a commitment to have a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system, helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities

Objective 3 - Ensure all Transport Scotland policies and proposals, consider and facilitate noise management

Objective 4 - Promote new channels of communication to stakeholders that encourage a learning environment (3 Actions)

  • During 2024, Transport Scotland worked closely with key Stakeholders to launch a new Webinar Series on Noise and Health for transport, noise, policy and health professionals working on projects linked to Scotland. This area will be developed in the next TNAP cycle.

Objective 5 - Improve the tools available for Noise Assessment (4 Actions)

  • We supported the commissioning of work on the collaborative development of modelling and mapping to describe the noise exposure in Scotland for 2021. The work was completed in early 2024 as part of the fourth Round of noise mapping for Scotland, under the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
  • We have investigated the detail of a CPX survey of roads in Scotland, and a trial of noise cameras

COVID-19

Transport and travel habits in Scotland were profoundly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with restrictions on travel and daily activity in place for large parts of 2020 and some of 2021.

The unprecedented impact of the COVID–19 outbreak resulted in necessary changes to priorities across government and local authority partners. The pausing or slowing down of actions relating to the TNAP action delivery was a pragmatic response to the emergency.