Local traffic is the main cause of noice pollution in Dublin city centre, writes David Labanyi
More residents of houses and apartments in Dublin 1 and 2 are subjected to severe 24-hour traffic noise than any other parts of the capital, a new report has found. According to a noise pollution map produced by Dublin City Council, Dublin 1 has the highest number of people exposed to severe traffic noise, closely followed by Dublin 2 and Dublin 8.
Local traffic, rather than motorways or rail services was found to be the main cause of noise pollution. Mainline rail, Dart and Luas services were found to make only a minimal contribution to noise pollution in the city.
Areas of Dublin with the most severe traffic noise pollution include main arterial routes such as the main southbound route to the N11 through Leeson Street, Donnybrook and the Stillorgan Road; the Liffey quays and the main northern route to the M1 along Dorset Street, Drumcondra and Collins Avenue.
The city centre around College Green, O'Connell Street and Dame Street was also, unsurprisingly, found to have among the highest traffic noise levels.
Brian McManus, of the council's Traffic Noise and Air Quality Unit which produced the report described the difference between the highest (75 decibels) and lowest (under 55) road traffic noise as being similar to walking from the front of Trinity College in the midst of traffic noise into its courtyard.
The study is the first of its kind for Dublin city, and took three years to complete. It was produced to meet the terms of a European Noise Directive which requires member states to measure and manage noise pollution.
All cities or council regions of more than 250,000 people are required to carry out similar studies.
As part of the same project, the National Roads Authority is measuring noise pollution on all routes with more than six million vehicle passages per year, and is examining approximately 550km of national roads and 72km of non-national roads for its noise-map.
Noise reducing measures are already a feature along many new major roads. Special foam tiles have been installed at the exit of the Dublin Port Tunnel to prevent a reverberating echo as lorries exit.
Wooden barriers have been placed along stretches of the Gorey bypass to reduce the traffic noise for adjacent houses and businesses, and clear plastic barriers are being used for the same reason along the N7.
At present Ireland does not have a statutory limits for noise pollution. The 75 decibels and over noise level is the highest band in the Dublin City Council study, and McManus says in his report: "In the absence of guidance, one could assume that the closer the calculated noise level to the highest band of noise set out in the directive, the more unacceptable it is."
Once all the noise maps are complete they will be sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which will collate the information into a national noise pollution map.
Action plans to reduce traffic noise and protect existing quiet areas will then be produced by July next year. Under the terms of the directive, the noise maps must be updated every five years.