Dublin's Noise Action Plan

The four local authorities within Dublin -Dublin City Council, Fingal, Dun Laoire Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils - have produced ‘Maps’ of noise from major Industry and transport.

The Environmental Noise Regulations 2006 instructs the creation of these maps after an EU Green Paper on ‘Future Noise Policy’, which highlighted the need for a high level of health and environmental protection against noise.

Noise mapping is the measurement of noise levels at a number of receiver\receptor points. These values are then used to draw colour contour noise maps. Dublin City Council produced its first noise map in July 2004. These were solely for sound emitted from traffic. The ‘Noise Maps’ below - produced November 2007 - show colour coded areas in Dublin based on noise levels, in 5 bands. The Night time band start at 50 decibels and the 24 Hour band starts at 55 decibels.

Luas - Green Line

The ‘Luas’ rail is included in All Railway and Major Railway categories of the Dublin City Council noise maps.

Copyright John Kennedy

Luas - Green Line
Copyright John Kennedy

Luas - Green Line

The ‘Luas’ rail is included in All Railway and Major Railway categories of the Dublin City Council noise maps.

Copyright John Kennedy

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In accordance with the directive, the different sources of noise include:

• All Roads
• Major Roads
• All Railways
• Major Railways

*The ‘Luas’ rail is included in All Railway and Major Railway categories.

The maps, however, do not include industrial point sources or aircraft noise, as these categories have been found to have no strategic impact on overall noise levels within the Dublin City Council region.

Traffic on the Upper Drumcondra Road, Dublin

Through their work with Dublin noise maps, Dublin City Council can determine that 'Traffic noise is the dominant noise source' in the city

Copyright Environmental Protection Agency

Traffic on the Upper Drumcondra Road, Dublin
Copyright Environmental Protection Agency

Traffic on the Upper Drumcondra Road, Dublin

Through their work with Dublin noise maps, Dublin City Council can determine that 'Traffic noise is the dominant noise source' in the city

Copyright Environmental Protection Agency

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Findings

• Railway noise does not have a major impact on overall noise levels
• Traffic noise is the dominant noise source
• Just over 66% of citizens are exposed to 24-hour sound levels from traffic below 65 decibels
• The ‘All Roads’ category has a greater impact on more people that the ‘ Major Road ’ category
• 24 hour sound levels from traffic do not drop below 55 decibels
• 58% of Citizens are being exposed to night time levels from traffic above 55 decibels
• 3.5% of the population (17,900) in the City Council region are exposed to daytime sound levels from traffic that could be considered undesirable (above 70 decibels)

Another conclusion drawn from the report is that the main challenges within Dublin, are to reduce the number of people being exposed to undesirable sound levels during the night.

Further details on noise maps and action plans can be found on Dublin City Council's website.