Site visitors noise is disrupting the day by day lives of Britons with 81% in a position to hear highway noises round their property and one in seven (17%) UK adults utterly unable to flee the sound, in accordance with a ballot commissioned by GRIDSERVE, a agency with a give attention to sustainable vitality know-how.1
The analysis additionally discovered that one in 5 (20%) of these affected by the noise say it has a destructive affect on their life.
Greater than a 3rd (34%) of these folks reported that they’re shedding sleep due to the loud noises at night time and over a fifth (22%) mentioned it impacts their psychological well being. And 16% of these negatively affected have reported that highway noises may even make their home shake.
Because of this, two in 10 (23%) seem like turning to remedial measures to cope with highway noises by double- or triple-glazing home windows, and seven% are continually drowning it out by enjoying music. An extra 17% of individuals must preserve all of their home windows and doorways closed to scale back the extent of noise and nearly one in 10 (8%) are having to resort to drastic measures reminiscent of utilizing earplugs or defenders, mentioned the survey.
A Freedom of Data request, issued by GRIDSERVE, revealed that some have complained to their native council. Of the councils that had been in a position to provide information, the London Boroughs of Sutton and Kingston Upon Thames had been among the many worst affected – having every acquired over 115 highway noise complaints in 2023 alone.2
One attainable motive for optimism could be the expansion of electrical automobiles, and GRIDSERVE mentioned 1 / 4 (27%) of respondents cited electrical vehicles as a treatment. Battery electrical automobiles are estimated to be round 10 dB quieter than petrol or diesel equivalents, so at low speeds every ICE car is roughly as loud as 10 electrical automobiles, making a major affect in city residential areas.3
Rob Buckland, Chief Leasing Officer mentioned: “Noise air pollution in residential areas is impacting hundreds of thousands. The incessant hum of idling engines and loud site visitors not solely disrupts the tranquillity of our environment but in addition poses a critical menace to public well being and well-being.
“At GRIDSERVE, we’re dedicated to driving constructive change within the transportation sector. Our give attention to sustainable and modern options, reminiscent of electrical car charging infrastructure and the event of eco-friendly transport alternate options, goals to mitigate the antagonistic results of noise air pollution.
“By embracing cleaner and quieter modes of transportation, we will contribute to creating extra peaceable and habitable city environments.”
Notes
[1] GRIDSERVE commissioned One Ballot to interview 2,000 UK adults between 25 October and 1 November 2023.
[2] GRIDSERVE submitted Freedom of Data requests to 422 councils. 140 of the 422 councils equipped information on highway noise of their borough, and a further 98 councils didn’t maintain the information.
[3] European Atmosphere Company, Electrical automobiles from life cycle and round economic system views, TERM 2018: Transport and Atmosphere Reporting Mechanism (TERM) report
