Roads & Transport

Living  /  Services  /  Roads & Transport  /  Road Policy  /  Noise Action Plan

Noise Action Plan

Wicklow County Council's five-year Noise Action Plan 2018 - 2023

Noise Action Plan Documents

Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC
Environmental Noise Regulations SI 140 of 2006
 

Wicklow County Council has prepared a Noise Action Plan 2018 - 2023 in compliance with the requirements of the Environmental Noise Directive and the Environmental Noise Regulations referred to above.

 

The Noise Action Plan 2018 - 2023 reviews the results of Strategic Noise Mapping undertaken within County Wicklow and details the progress achieved in relation to the implementation of the previous Noise Action Plan. The Noise Action Plan 2018 - 2023 details the intended approach to be undertaken over the lifetime of the action plan (defined as five years) to manage and control environmental noise.

  1. Noise Action Plan 2013

    File type .pdf
  2. Wicklow County Council Noise Action Plan - FINAL 2018 - 2023

    File type .pdf
  3. Summary Report of Wicklow County Council Noise Action Plan 2013

    File type .pdf

Strategic Noise Mapping 2022 - Dublin Agglomeration

 

 

The Environmental Noise Directive (END) and the European Communities (Environmental Noise) Regulations 2018 to 2021 (The Regulations) requires Strategic Noise Maps to be prepared for the agglomeration of Dublin for each of the following noise sources:

Road Traffic (All Roads and Major Roads)
Railway Traffic (All Rail and Major Rail)
Aircraft (Major airports)
Industry including ports.
Strategic Noise Maps for road, rail and industry are included here for Wicklow County Council’s administrative area within the agglomeration of Dublin. 

The Strategic Noise Maps present noise contours for the following two noise indicators in line with the requirements of The Regulations:

Lden  - The day -  evening - night level is a noise indicator for overall annoyance based upon annual average A-weighted long-term sound over 24 hours with a 5dB(A) penalty for evening noise (19:00 – 23:00) and a 10 dB(A) penalty for night time noise (23:00 – 07:00).  Lden noise levels above the threshold of 55dB are required to be reported to the European Commission.
Lnight – The night level is a noise indicator for sleep disturbance based upon annual average A-weighted long-term sound over the night period (23:00 – 07:00).  Lnight noise levels above the threshold of 50dB are required to be reported to the European Commission.
Noise levels that are at or above the noise indicator thresholds set out above are presented at 5 dB contours, i.e. there are no contours representing values below the required reporting thresholds included on the maps.

The noise contours have been prepared using computer modelling in-line with a common noise assessment methodology adopted by the European Commission in line with Article 6.2 of the EC Directive 2002/49/EC and brought into effect through Commission Directive (EU) 2015/996.  The new common methodology is called CNOSSOS – EU and further details can be found at this link [https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC72550].  This new common assessment methodology has been used for the first time in Round 4.  Strategic noise maps for Dublin for Round’s 1 to 3 were produced using a different recognised methodology available at that time.  This change should be considered when making any direct comparisons between the Round 4 maps and maps for previous Rounds as the modelling methodologies as well as input data sets will have changed.

The purpose of the Strategic Noise Maps are to:

Provide relevant data to the European Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Noise Directive,
Provide a source of information for the general public on environmental noise and its effects,
Provide the basis for developing Noise Action Plans to identify noise priority areas and quiet areas and propose relevant mitigation measures to help mitigate the harmful effects of these noise sources.
The Strategic Noise Maps for Wicklow County Council within the agglomeration of Dublin can be downloaded using the links below.

 

  1.
  2. DUB WICKLOW ALLRAIL LDEN

    File type .pdf
  3. DUB WICKLOW ALLRAIL LNIGHT

    File type .pdf
  4. DUB WICKLOW ALLROAD LDEN

    File type .pdf
  5. DUB WICKLOW ALLROAD LNIGHT

    File type .pdf
  6. DUB WICKLOW INDUSTRY LDEN

    File type .pdf
  7. DUB WICKLOW INDUSTRY LNIGHT

    File type .pdf
  8. DUB WICKLOW MAJRAIL LDEN

    File type .pdf
  9. DUB WICKLOW MAJRAIL LNIGHT

    File type .pdf
  10. DUB WICKLOW MAJROAD LDEN

    File type .pdf
  11. DUB WICKLOW MAJROAD LNIGHT

    File type .pdf

Dublin Agglomeration Noise Action Plan 2024 - 2028

What We Are Doing

The Local Authorities of the Dublin Agglomeration (Dublin City Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council, Wicklow County Council and Kildare County Council) are preparing a Noise Action Plan to cover the whole of the Dublin agglomeration.  The Noise Action Plan has been informed by and is based on the Strategic Noise Maps which were prepared for the agglomeration of Dublin in 2022 and which cover transport (road and rail) and industry related environmental noise sources.

Why We Are Doing It

The Noise Action Plan is required under the Environmental Noise Directive (“END”) (2002/49/EC) which was transported into Irish law through the European Communities (Environmental Noise) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 549/2018) and the European Communities (Environmental Noise) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 663/2021).  The Regulations require Strategic Noise Maps and Noise Action Plans to be made or revised every five years.

When We Are Doing It

This Noise Action Plan covers Round 4 of the implementation of the END.  The final Noise Action Plan must be completed and issued to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) by the 18th July 2024 and subsequently issued by the EPA to the EU Commission by the end of January 2025.

Requirements of Noise Action Plan

The Environmental Noise Directive (END) requires local authorities to draw-up plans of action which will include measures to 'address priorities which may be identified by the exceeding of any relevant limit value or by other criteria chosen by the Member State and apply in particular to the most important areas as established by strategic noise mapping'.  It also requires Plans to identify and protect “quiet areas against an increase in noise”.

Why Your Views Matter

There will be a period of formal public consultation from 9a.m. Friday 12th April 2024 to 5p.m. Friday 24th May 2024 and members of the public are welcome to submit their views on this draft Dublin Agglomeration Noise Action Plan.  If you have particular comments on the Plan we would welcome your views.  Submissions may be made by one of the following methods;

Reader Note

This Noise Action Plan covers the whole of the Dublin Agglomeration which includes the complete or partial administrative area of the six Local Authorities mentioned above.  Readers are therefore referred to the following structure of the Noise Action Plan to help direct them to the relevant section(s) that may be applicable to their area and interest.

  • Chapters 1 to 9 – Background and general to the Agglomeration as a whole
  • Chapter 10 – Dublin City Council specific
  • Chapter 11 – Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council specific
  • Chapter 12 – Fingal County Council specific
  • Chapter 13 – Kildare County Council specific
  • Chapter 14 – South Dublin County Council specific
  • Chapter 15 – Wicklow County Council specific.