COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE/FIRHOUSE/BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 08, 2019

MOTION NO. 7

MOTION: Councillor D. O'Donovan

That the Chief Executive reviews the noise barrier in the Castlefield Estate. According to the EPA 2017 map for day noise in the area, it falls in a >75db area, with sounds above 85db being deemed dangerous.

 

REPORT:

Noise is one of the most pervasive and complex of environmental pollutants, largely driven by a combination of factors including urbanisation, economic growth and expanding transport networks.

The issue of noise and noise barriers at Castlefield Estate, Knocklyon is part of the current Round 3 of the European Noise Directive. South Dublin County Council is a Noise Mapping Body under this legislation and the Environmental Health Officer Department has recently completed our latest noise mapping of the county, as part of the overall Dublin Agglomeration region.

Traffic noise is the dominant environmental noise source in Ireland. Noise barriers are the dominant type of mitigation measures adopted in European member states, including Ireland, to reduce road traffic noise. The effectiveness of a noise barrier is governed by the path length difference (i.e. the amount by which the top of the barrier cuts the line of sight between the source and the receiver).

In practice a noise barrier will reduce noise levels by 3-7db depending on their design and height. Barriers vary substantially in their design and construction materials including

In Europe, concrete, wood and aluminium are the most prevalent barrier types and the most effective barriers are solid and continuous without any breaks. For optimal noise reductions, barriers should be located as close to the either the noise source or the receiver to maximise the path length difference. In addition to their ability to reduce noise pollution, the cost-efficiency of abatement approaches is a key consideration for making a decision. Important considerations include the cost of implementation, as well as the cost of maintenance and renewal, the availability of resources and relevant funding schemes.

Noise barriers have an estimated cost of about €300 per metre but this can vary widely depending on local noise abatement measures, the population density and the type of barrier used. Tunnels for instance are by far the most expensive but by far the most effective noise barrier. The noise barrier art Castlefield is a double wooden structure installed by the predecessor of the new Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). South Dublin has a close working relationship with TII as we are both on the EPA’S National Noise Steering Group. We will raise the effectiveness of this barrier with them as they have a permanent noise monitor in Beverly across the motorway from Castlefield. South Dublin County Council also has one of our 10 fixed noise monitors in the grounds of St Columcille’s Community School. Noise results from both of these fixed monitors measures real live noise, and both are significantly lower than the Noise Mapping results which is a computer generated noise modelling predictor set of colour coded maps.

Please find the links below to the TII public monitors and to our own monitors which the public can log on and see live noise readings.

https://tii.sonitussystems.com/monitor/RPA-002  http://www.sdccnoise.sonitussystems.com/