Defra

Welcome to the Noise Mapping England website

The noise maps on this site have been produced by Defra to meet the requirements of the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006, and are intended to inform the production of noise action plans for large urban areas, major transport sources, and significant industrial sites in England.

Directive 2002/49/EC - more commonly known as the Environmental Noise Directive (END) - concerns noise from road, rail and air traffic and from industry. It focuses on the impact of such noise on individuals, complementing existing EU legislation which sets standards for noise emissions from specific sources. The END requires:

• the determination of exposure to environmental noise, through noise mapping;
• provision of information on environmental noise and its effects on the public;
• adoption of action plans, based upon noise mapping results, which should be designed to manage noise issues and effects, including noise reduction if necessary;
• preservation by the member states of environmental noise quality where it is good.

Users are encouraged to read the supporting information about noise, noise mapping, and the background to the work in the About section before commencing a map search. Further information is also available in the Frequently Asked Questions and Useful Information sections.

To go directly to the maps however, please click on the map image to the right, or go to the Maps and Charts section.