N3 Noise Maps

There was an excellent response to my circular on the noise maps in August. Each County Council is obliged under the EU Noise Pollution Directive to draw up these maps and after a public consultation process set out in detail the actions to be taken to reduce noise and the time frame for delivery

Over 50 submissions were made on the Action Plan to and the majority of these submissions were made by residents along the N3. These can be viewed at noisemaps@fingalcoco.ie
The final version of the plan must be produced by Fingal County Council by 18th October 2008 and submitted for approval to the Environmental Protection Agency.

According to the Council a noise monitoring network is currently being established throughout the county to validate the noise maps and this will be in operation by the end of December 2008. Under the EU Directive a local action plan for the N3 must to be produced between October 2009 and October 2010. The plan must specify a timeline setting out in detail the actions to be taken to reduce noise and the time frame for delivery.

It would seem it is open to the Council to determine what that delivery timeline will be and this is what is so disconcerting. The Council of course does not have to wait until the end of this process. The problems of the N3 have been identified and action should be taken now. Fingal and the National Roads Authority (NRA) should co-fund the construction of a wall or buffalo timber acoustic fence along the boundary between with N3 as has been done along the M50. As an infrastructural investment it should not be subject to budgetary constraints especially since it would benefit the health of so many families in the immediate area and indeed the quality of life of all Clonee.

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Dennison calls on council to publish Noise Maps for N3

As required by the EU noise regulation, the council has to produce noise maps for the N3. This is a major issue for residents in Clonee (Littlepace, Hunters Run, Pheasant Run, Swallowbrook and Bramblefields) and some parts of Mulhuddart. For some time now they have been pressurizing the Council to install Noise Barriers along this busy and very noisy highway.

The EU Directive (2002/49/EC) identifies for the first time noise as a significant pollutant that, as well as annoyance, can cause health problems. The directive compels Dublin local authorities to produce noise maps by 30th June 2007.

The main purpose of mapping is to evaluate the size of population affected by noise issues adjacent to major roads, rail and industrial sources. These maps must be lodged with the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) for publication on their website. As a follow up to this a Noise Action Plan must be drawn up by 18th July 2008.

As part of the Action Plan the Directive mandates that members of the Public must:

• be consulted on action plan proposals

• be given opportunity to participate in preparation/review of action plans

• have results of participation taken into account

• be kept informed of decisions taken

Dublin City Council has already put some of their noise maps for the Dublin South-Central area on the EPA website (http://www.epa.ie/downloads/advice/ea/).

Sadly as yet there has not been a cheep from Fingal County Council on the issue. No Maps, no Action Plans and no Sound Barriers for the N3. Not good enough.

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