Cerema publishes study on transport noise exposure in France
POLIS member Cerema has carried out a comprehensive study on the areas affected by noise pollution related to transport in France.
In France, seven out of ten people report being bothered by noise, and transport is a primary cause of noise pollution. In the EU, over one in five Europeans is exposed to excessive transport noise levels, making it a public health issue. To tackle this, the Environmental Noise Directive, approved in 2002, mandates Member States to create strategic noise maps every five years for major transport infrastructure—specifically roads, railways, airports, and urban areas. Based on these maps, noise management action plans are developed and implemented as needed.
Cerema, the French public agency for developing public expertise in the fields of urban planning, regional cohesion and ecological and energy transition, has carried out the modelling of noise pollution from transport networks in France. Focusing on 80% of the road network and 95% of the rail network, as mandated in the European Directive, the study was conducted on behalf of the Ministry for Ecological Transition.
Mapping loud areas
Strategic noise maps provide insights into population exposure to noise. In France, they encompass both the mainland and overseas territories, covering approximately 66,000 km of roads and 6,300 km of railways.
The regulatory noise thresholds are set at 55 dB(A) during the day and 50 dB(A) at night, categorising areas into three zones:
- Quiet areas: noise levels under 45 dB(A);
- Noisy or critical zones: noise levels exceeding 65 dB(A);
- Intermediate or calming zones: average noise levels between 45 and 65 dB(A), which can shift categories based on circumstances.
By aggregating the latest data from the strategic noise maps, Cerema has represented the areas affected by transport-related noise. The results indicate that, during the daytime, over 21.4 million people in France are exposed to noise levels above the European threshold due to road traffic. The impact from rail and air transport is relatively lower, affecting 2.4 million and 600,000 people, respectively.
The health implications are alarming: 3.9 million individuals report discomfort linked to road noise, 800,000 experience sleep disorders, and 1,900 suffer from ischemic heart disease related to noise exposure. Using the Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) indicator, corresponding to the number of healthy life lost due to illness, disability, or premature death, it is estimated that noise pollution from road traffic results in a loss of 52,000 healthy life years annually in France.
Addressing the issue
For areas facing significant noise pollution, priority actions include reducing noise close to infrastructure, modifying noise propagation, and enhancing the acoustic performance of buildings. Rethinking urban planning is essential to create quieter cities through the integration of noise management into urban development processes.
Several strategies can be employed to mitigate noise, including:
- Lowering speed limits or enforcing penalties for reckless driving;
- Changing road surfaces to reduce noise;
- Implementing traffic management measures, such as speed bumps, raised intersections, or lane narrowing;
- Installing acoustic barriers, mounds, and low screens to deflect sound;
- Incorporating green spaces in building designs to help absorb noise;
- Constructing commercial buildings as noise barriers between sources of noise and residential areas.
Other innovative approaches include the use of acoustic radars, which have been tested in France since 2022. These systems aim to identify and penalise excessively noisy vehicles modified illegally or driven unsafely.
By combining multiple solutions, France aims to reduce transport-related noise pollution and its associated health impacts, creating a quieter, healthier environment for its citizens.
Read more about the Cerema's study here.
