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November 2008
Analysis of EUROCITIES’Noise Survey 2008
EUROCITIES
EUROCITIES is the network of major European cities. Founded in 1986, the network brings togetherthe local governments over 135 large cities in 33 European countries. EUROCITIES represents theinterests of its members and engages in dialogue with the European institutions across a widerange of policy areas affecting cities. These include: economic development, the environment,transport and mobility, social affairs, culture, the information and knowledge society, and servicesof general interest.
EUROCITIES website:
www.eurocities.eu
 
 
 
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November 2008 Analysis of EUROCITIES’ Noise Survey 2008
Table of contents
Summary 3Introduction 5Analysis of Noise Questionnaire 2008 7Conclusions 40Recommendations 41
 
 
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November 2008 Analysis of EUROCITIES’ Noise Survey 2008
Summary
The main findings of this questionnaire are:1.
 
Conformation on the number of people exposed to noise (>50% above 55 decibels) acrossthe EU Noise Maps. The figures on people exposed to noise don’t differ much from thefigures given in the provisional data of the EU Noise Maps gathered by the EuropeanCommission.2.
 
Generally speaking, respondents of most of the cities surveyed are aware of theirrespective noise problems but little
 
progress has been made in reducing noise. Thereare some good examples but most cities lag behind.3.
 
Not only cities make little progress in mitigating noise. The EU is making little progressas well, because over the past 20 years cars and Heavy Good Vehicles (HGV) have hardlybecome any quieter. The process for quieter vehicles, planes, trains, tyres and outdoorequipment goes very slow and a lot of delay is found.The published Environmenta
l
Noise Directive (END) is helpful in showing the noiseburden in cities and member states. Mapping will make
 
the public and politicians moreaware of the extent of the noise burden in their cities. But the effectiveness of the ENDis doubtful when you look at its objective (less people annoyed by noise)4.
 
The END doesn’t contain limits. Whether noise limits will make the END more effectivecan be doubted.
 
Some cities think it could help other cities and other cities don’tbelieve that a limit could help to make the END more effective.5.
 
Cities have hardly designated Quiet Urban Areas. This is a pity because these areas arevery important for relaxation and against stress. People can get
 
away from the noisyurban environment en relax. The Noise Questionnaire revealed that few cities takeactions to preserve Quiet Urban Areas.6.
 
This noise questionnaire produces a number of recommendations that can help cities totackle the noise in
 
urban areas. These recommendations are:
a)
 
Working Group Noise EUROCITIES should pay attention to construction noise,recreational noise and neighbourhood noise during its meetings. Further WGN shouldgather knowledge and experience on noise and share this with EUROCITIES membersby means of newsletters, websites, web logs, leaflets or reports.
b)
 
Follow-up questions about question 3c should be sent to the cities that filled in thenoise questionnaire. We cannot compare cities based on the current answers on thebudgets they have, because the cities have not included same types of costs in theiranswers.
c)
 
The Working Group Noise (WGN) should explore setting up an European network ofcities that will monitor noise by using noise measurements (ENNEM, European Noise-monitoring Network of EUROCITIES Members). This network should have thefollowing goals :
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