Apr 24 - Traffic Noise Mapping Process to Include Public Consultation
The Government has reconvened the Noise Core Steering Group for the first time since it first met in 2008. The Steering Group, chaired by the Minister for the Environment, Dr John Cortes, with the Minister for Public Transport, Neil Costa and the Minister for Traffic, Paul Balban, is made up of Government Officials and representatives of the Environment Agency. It was set up in order to drive the requirements of the Environmental (Assessment & Management of Noise) Regulations 2006, but had become defunct in 2008. These Regulations gave effect in Gibraltar to the European Directive relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise.
The Directive, commonly known as the European Noise Directive (END), is intended to provide a common approach across the European Union to avoid, prevent and reduce, on a prioritised basis, the harmful effects of exposure to environmental noise. Under the Directive, it is a requirement for Member States to produce strategic noise maps.
Locally the Directive only applies to noise from major roads. In 2008 the Government of the time produced and published strategic noise maps for two selected major roads with more than 6 million vehicle passages a year (Winston Churchill Avenue and Queensway).
In compliance with the next round of requirements for the production of strategic noise maps for major roads with more than 3 million vehicle passages a year, the Government has now produced noise maps for Devil’s Tower Road, Rosia Road, Line Wall Road, Winston Churchill Avenue, Europa Road, Glacis Road and Queensway.
These maps form the basis for the preparation of an Action Plan to manage noise issues from traffic on these roads. The Noise Core Steering Group met last week for the first time in five years on order to plan the work for the next Action Plan, due at the end of the year, and to study ways in which the existing (2009) action plan, which had not been implemented, can be carried out. Much of the preparatory work will flow from the Traffic Survey currently being carried out by the Ministry for Traffic.
The Regulations require that the general public is consulted and participates in the development and revision of the Action Plan by submitting their views and comments in writing directly to the Environmental Agency, 37 Town Range or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by not later than 31 May 2013.
