FUTURE BRIEF: Noise abatement approaches - Issue 17

Noise pollution has serious health consequences, with links to disturbed sleep, impaired cognitive function, hormonal disturbances, diabetes, stroke and psychological ill health. By far the biggest source of environmental noise is road traffic, and as urbanisation proceeds and the sources and severity of noise pollution continue to grow, there is a need for new approaches to reduce exposure. The complex and pervasive problem of noise pollution is a problem with no single solution, requiring a combination of short-, medium- and long-term approaches and careful consideration of the nature of the noise source.

Read our Future Brief, outlining specific noise mitigation measures for different noise sources, or check out our noise abatement infographic, which provides a summary of noise abatement approaches alongside their cost-effectiveness.