Traffic noise is dangerous for your health - solutions exist for dense cities

According to World Health Organization (WHO) reports, traffic noise is the second biggest environmental problem in the EU after air pollution. A new report from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, titled Quieter cities of the future, Lessening the severe health effects of traffic noise in cities by emission reductions, shows how the negative health effects of noise can be reduced.

Most of us are not aware that cars today produce as much noise on the outside as they did 40 years ago. However, heavy vehicles have become somewhat quieter.

Two of the authors of the report, Tor Kihlman and Wolfgang Kropp, initiated a meeting between international experts from the automotive industry, universities and government agencies in Innsbruck to discuss technical possibilities to achieve better urban environments.

No simple technical solution exists for solving the traffic noise problem - neither at the source nor for preventing noise from reaching ears. In order to achieve improvements, concerted actions from everyone involved are required, but such coordination of actions is lacking today. The division of responsibilities is unclear, says Tor Kihlman, Professor Emeritus of Applied Acoustics at Chalmers.

“Many of the needed measures are ideal for implementation in dense cities. They are often in line with what is required to tackle climate change. Here are double benefits to point to,” says Tor Kihlman, mentioning three examples:

• the procurement of quiet public transport,
• reduced speed; and
• the use of buildings as effective noise barriers, through good urban planning.

The new report describes the first steps needed, politically, for society to move towards substantially reduced health effects caused by traffic noise.

“The problems with traffic noise from roads cannot be satisfactory resolved by only taking actions at the source of the noise, not with foreseeable technology. Therefore, the report is also covering planning and construction measures. But today’s methods of measuring and describing the noise emissions are neither sufficient nor adequate from the exposed citizens’ point of view,” says Kihlman.

“In recent years, the scientific basis for assessment has broadened considerably. But the legislation to protect residents of unhealthy noise levels is completely inadequate.”

The Quieter cities of the future, Lessening the severe health effects of traffic noise in cities by emission reductions report can be downloaded at www.ta.chalmers.se.