Strategic Noise Maps Information System and Action Plans — WFS

A strategic noise map is a basic noise map intended to assess the population’s exposure to noise from various noise sources. Noise map is an indication of existing and predicted noise imission levels at locations within the observed area. The most common data that the noise map contains are exceedance of the prescribed permitted values, an estimated number of people exposed to individual noise levels and an estimated number of apartments, schools, hospitals exposed to certain values of noise indicators in the observed area. The strategic noise maps show noise levels in accordance with harmonised noise indicators (Lden, Lday, Levening, Lnight) over the total population and/or apartments exposed to noise of a certain level. Noise maps shall be made using computer methods of calculating emissions and noise emitted from known sources of noise in the geographical area. The noise sources taken into account when making strategic noise maps are air traffic noise, road traffic noise, rail traffic noise and industrial plant noise. The noise of each type of source shall be treated separately, and the results obtained shall be aggregated and aggregated into a map of the total noise levels of the observed area. Therefore, the strategic noise map is a useful instrument in environmental noise management, enables the development of action plans to reduce noise levels from existing sources, enables more efficient spatial planning, planning for the protection of existing spaces against noise sources and the implementation of acoustic planning.