EPA

How European
p noise policies
p
can support actions at a local
level

Henk Wolfert
henk.wolfert@dcmr.nl
13 november 2009
2 Content EPA
EPA

• Introduction
• Working Group Noise activities
• Recommendations to improve the
END
• What is wanted from EU?
• Conclusions
• Questions
3 Introduction EPA
EPA
• DCMR EPA (Greater Rotterdam Area)
– Province of South Holland
– 18 municipalities,
i i liti iincluding
l di R Rotterdam
tt d
• Former manager Noise Section
• Chairman WG Noise Alliance of Dutch Provinces
(2006)
• Noise Expert CEMR/CCRE (until 2008)
• European Policy Advisor DCMR EPA
p Group
• Member Expert p Environmt. Noise EC
• Chairman Working Group Noise EUROCITIES
• Member EUROCITIES Environmental Forum
• Chairman congress Noise in the City 2008
4 About Working Group Noise EPA
EPA
EPA
5 Activities Working Group Noise EPA

• E
Exchange
h off knowledge
k l d &
experiences
• Noise
N i iin th
the Cit
City 2008
• Noise Questionnaire
• Position Paper on END
• Gaining Political Interest
• Consultations EU legislation &
requirements
• Participation in
projects/programmes
6 Noise in the City 2008 Amsterdam EPA
7 Noise Questionnaire EPA
8 N i Q
Noise Questionnaire,
ti i the
th good
d & bad
b d news
EPA

™ 55% of citi
citizens
ens in cities are e
exposed
posed > 55dB Lden
™ Most cities are aware of their noise problems
™ Poor progress has been made on noise reduction
™ Poor progress on noise reduction at source
™ END is helpful to show the extent of noise burden EU
™ END isn't effective enough
™ Doubting about adding limits to the END
™ Quiet Urban Areas, where are they?
9 Main noise problems in cities are: EPA

Figure 1
Question 1a: main noise problems

5% Low frequency noise

66%
answer 55% Neighbourhood noise
63% Recreational noise
1
70%
66% Ai ttraffic
Air ffi noise
i
54% Construction noise
98% Railway noise
Industrial noise
0% 50% 100% 150%
Traffic noise
percentage
 Noise Budgets in Cities EPA
budget in euros per person
€ 9,00
Antwerp
Athens
Birmingham
€ 8,00 Brussels
Bursa
Chemnitz
Constantza
€ 7,00
Dublin
Eindhoven
EspoO
Florence
€ 6,00
,
Frankfurt
Helisinki
Klaipeda
€ 5,00 Lisbon
Liverpool
euros

Ljubljana
London
€ 4,00 Lyon
Madrid
Malmo
Manchester
€ 3,00 Munich
Niš
Oslo
Porto
€ 2,00 Rotterdam
Sheffield
Stockholm
T
Tampere
€ 1,00
Timisoara
Utrecht

10 Warsaw
€ 0,00
1
11 Position Paper on END EPA

• Visualisation Noise burden in EU

• Obtaining g data
• Common methods
• Informing the public
• Cross border situation
• Action Plans
• Quiet Urban Areas
• Military sites
• Threshold value too high
12 Recommendations END [1] EPA

1. Data structures (guidelines)

2. Noise Mapsp future situation
3. Cumulative Noise Maps
4
4. Strengthening Cross Border Coordination
5. Inclusion of Military Sites
6. SMART Action Plans are needed
7. Lower thresholds 40 LDEN 35 LNIGHT
8. Limits and/or targets
13 Recommendations END [2] EPA

9. Measures to stimulate public and political

debate
10. Other noise sort could be included in
action plans (scooters, mopeds etc.)
11. Formal status Good Practice Guide
12. Stronger link with EU policies on sources
and stricter ELV for vehicles etc.
13. Elimination of inconsistencies and
ambiguities
14. More attention to Quiet ((Urban)) Areas
14 And,.. not to forget: EPA
15 R
Recommendations
d i EU [1]
EPA

• Stricter ELV’s for:

• Vehicles
• Tyres
• Railwayy stock
• Airplanes
• Outdoor Equipment
• Promote holistic and integrated
approaches
• Horizontal (with other policy field)
• Vertical (multi-level)
16 R
Recommendations
d i cities
i i [2]
EPA

• Synchronise EU plans (Air, Energy,

Noise….)
• Raise consumer awareness
• Labelling products
• European helpdesk
• For experts
• For public
• Quiet city Award
Award, other initiatives
• European Noise Ambassador
17
17 Li ki with
Linking i h other
h fields
fi ld – city
i bus
b
EPA

Hybrid solution:
p
Low speeds: electrical traction
Modest speed: generator + electrical
petrol, diesel, bio-diesel, bio-ethanol, hydrogen, CNG
18 Example: Side skirts EPA

Energy saving (5-15 %)

Less CO2
Less Noise
Less Casualties
Less Air Pollution
19 Washing roads EPA

rain
20 Super fast charging points EPA

Automotive & industrial:

- small electric vehicles
- industrial electric vehicles
- electric & hybrid cars
- plug-in hybrid cars
- automated transportations

Within 15-30 minutes electric scooters and

cars can be charged.
21 Noise barrier plus EPA

Purifies air as well!

NO2
PM

noise
22 The END
EPA