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Noise nuisance

The noise from road, rail and air traffic is experienced as a nuisance when it exceeds approximately 50 decibels. Airports and their flight paths are experienced as causing the most noise nuisance, followed by motorways.

Current situation


The noise level in the surroundings influences how people experience a landscape. Noise above 50 decibels is experienced as a nuisance. This threshold is reached along most of the provincial roads and in towns and cities, where the noise level is generally between 50 and 65 decibels. Noise levels exceeding 65 decibels are experienced as very unpleasant. Levels this high are found along the motorways and even more so near airports and under flight paths. There is hardly anywhere in the Randstad conurbation without any noise nuisance.

Technical note


The cumulative noise nuisance is based on a Dutch index: the Milieu Kwaliteitsmaat (MKM). This takes account of the degree to which different sources of noise are experienced as a nuisance. In the calculations the noise nuisance of rail and air traffic has been compared with that of road traffic. A noise nuisance for road traffic of 50 MKM, equivalent to 50 dB(A) L(24-hour period), is the preference value for inner city traffic; 65 MKM - equivalent to 65 dB(A) L(24-hour period) is the threshold value.

References


  • Roos-Klein Lankhorst, J., A.E. Buijs, A.E. van den Berg, M.H.I. Bloemmen, S. de Vries, C. Schuiling & A.J. Griffioen, (2002). BelevingsGIS versie februari 2002. Hoofdtekst (met bijlagen) Reeks 'Planbureau-werk in uitvoering' Werkdocument 2002/08. Natuurplanbureau/Alterra. Wageningen.
  • VROM (1997). Naar een landelijk beeld van verstoring. Publicatiereeks verstoring 1997-2. Ministerie van VROM. Den Haag.
This page was last changed on 01 April 2004  (version 01).