Environmental Noise Directive-Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report Consultation

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1. Non-Technical Summary

1.1 Background

Strategic Environmental Assessment ( SEA) is required under the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Scotland) Regulations 2004. It is a systematic and robust method for assessing the environmental effects of plans and programmes during their preparation allowing for the mitigation of any adverse effects before implementation of a plan or series of plans.

This is the non technical summary of the Environmental Report prepared as part of the SEA of the draft Noise Action Plans ( NAPs). It sets out a summary of the SEA process, followed by an outline of the likely significant effects of the NAPs. An important element of SEA is making the information about possible effects available to the public and this non technical summary also sets out how to make comments on the SEA process.

The draft Noise Action Plans were the subject of a consultation exercise between May and July 2008 and have been amended where appropriate as a result of comments received during that consultation.

1.2 Summary of the SEA process

The SEA process to date has comprised a number of key steps. At the outset of the assessment informal screening was undertaken to confirm that the NAPs would require an SEA. Following this, a scoping exercise was undertaken to identify the method and overall content of the SEA, with a scoping report having been sent to the Scottish Consultation Authorities; Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Following consideration of comments on the scoping report, the assessment of the NAPs and a number of alternative strategies was progressed, culminating in the preparation of this environmental report. This report is now being circulated for further comment, and will be reviewed alongside the content of the NAPs on conclusion of the consultation period. Key findings from the SEA will be monitored as the NAPs are implemented.

1.3 Scope of the Environmental Report

The Environmental Report includes the following; Key facts about the NAPs and the outline of NAPs objectives:-

  • Relationships with other plans, programmes and environmental objectives;
  • Environmental baseline - current state of the environment and state of the environment prior to the implementation of NAPs;
  • Identification of SEA objectives for the assessment;
  • Application of SEA objectives to alternative scenarios;
  • Application of SEA objectives to the NAPs;
  • Proposed mitigation measures;
  • Proposed enhancement measures;
  • Proposed SEA monitoring programme; and
  • The Next steps

1.4 Main Objectives of NAPs and their relationship with other plans and programmes

The NAPs are required as a result of the European Parliament and Council Directive for Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise 2002/49/EC, more commonly referred to as the 'European Noise Directive' hereinafter referred to as END. The three main objectives of the Directive are:-

  • To determine the noise exposure of the population through noise mapping;
  • To make information available on environmental noise to the public; and
  • To establish NAPs based on the mapping results, to reduce levels where necessary, and to preserve environmental noise quality where it is good.

The Directive was transposed into Scottish legislation with the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006. These regulations set out two key tasks for managing environmental noise:

  • Production of strategic noise maps for major roads, rail, airports and industry; and
  • Development of NAPs to manage noise.

The Noise mapping phase was completed in June 2007 and is available to view on the Scottish Government's Noise Mapping website: http://www.scottishnoisemapping.org/public/view-map.aspx

This stage of the SEA considers the environmental characteristics of areas likely to be significantly affected arising from implementation of the NAPs. The NAPs have been derived following comprehensive and transparent protocols and aim to establish a range of actions and where practicable, interventions that shall aim to manage environmental noise based on the results of the strategic noise maps. Further information on these actions is discussed in other sections of this report.

1.5 Geographical Scope of the NAPs

The initial analysis of strategic noise mapping determined that NAPs should be developed for the following:

  • Glasgow Agglomeration;
  • Edinburgh Agglomeration;
  • Glasgow Airport;
  • Edinburgh Airport;
  • Aberdeen Airport;
  • Transportation (covering road and rail corridors outwith the above areas).

The two agglomerations cover a number of Local Authority areas. Those within the Glasgow and Edinburgh Action Plans are as follows:

The Glasgow Agglomeration:

  • East Dunbartonshire Council;
  • East Renfrewshire Council;
  • Glasgow City Council;
  • North Lanarkshire Council;
  • Renfrewshire Council;
  • South Lanarkshire Council;
  • West Dunbartonshire Council.

The Edinburgh Agglomeration:

  • City of Edinburgh Council;
  • East Lothian Council;
  • Midlothian Council.

The spatial extents of the two agglomerations are shown in Appendix 1 and 2.

The geographical scope for the Airport NAPs is determined, under the terms of the Directive, by the location of airports with over 50,000 movements a year; Scottish airports falling within these criteria are:

  • Aberdeen
  • Edinburgh;
  • Glasgow

The geographical scope of the Transportation Action Plan is determined, under the terms of the Directive, by the location of roads with more than six million vehicle passages a year and places near major railways which have more than sixty thousand train passages per year; however, the following organisations are key stakeholders:

  • Local Authorities not in agglomerations for local road issues;
  • Network Rail.
  • Regional Transport Partnerships;
  • Transport Scotland;

The spatial extent of these transport corridors are shown in Appendix 3 and 4.

Noise Action Plans ( NAPs)

1.6 The Contents of NAPs

The NAPs will include:

  • A description of the geographical area, including the major roads and major railways taken into account;
  • The authority responsible;
  • The legal context;
  • A summary of the results of the noise mapping;
  • An evaluation of the estimated number of people exposed to noise;
  • Identification of problems and situations that need to be improved;
  • A record of the public consultations;
  • Any noise-reduction measures already in force and any projects in preparation;
  • Actions which the competent authorities intend to take in the next five years, including any measures to preserve quiet areas;
  • Long-term strategy; and
  • Financial information (if available): budgets, cost-effectiveness assessment, cost-benefit assessment.

Industrial noise will be covered by the NAPs only at the request of the regulatory authority; SEPA or the Local Authority. Legislation presently exists to address noise pollution incidents and this is enforced by SEPA and local authorities. The NAPs are intended to address cumulative increases in transport-related noise which is not presently covered by existing legislation.

1.7 The SEA Process

Prior to the assessment of the impacts of the NAPs, a Scoping Report was produced which set out the proposed method and level of detail for this SEA. This was submitted to the Scottish Government and allowed statutory consultees, Historic Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage ( SNH) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency ( SEPA) to provide comments and recommendations. These were taken into account in the assessment and preparation of the Environmental Report. The Scoping Report set out the potential environmental considerations, key aspects of the current state of the environment and relationships the NAPs have with other plans and programmes.

1.8 SEA Objectives and Key Findings

The SEA was carried out by assessment of the different parts of the draft NAPs against an agreed set of objectives. These objectives were identified from a review of relevant existing plans and strategies which defines the wider policy context within which the NAPs is set. The wider policy context includes local strategies and initiatives for air quality and general land use planning. The draft NAPs cover the areas mentioned in 1.5 above, and as a result has the potential to contribute (positively or negatively) to the overall quality of the environment in the designated areas. Where a positive impact is likely, this will be identified in this document and any potential negative impacts will be considered further in the final decision making process when assigning interventions. Technical guidance is currently being developed to aide consistency of approach and to ensure potential negative impacts are managed and reduced where achievable.

A key challenge for the NAPs is the need to strike a sustainable balance between the economic importance of our transport infrastructure while maintaining a high quality environment. In addition the NAPs should contribute, as far as possible, to the quality of life of the most susceptible population exposed to potentially excessive noise.

1.9 Environmental protection objectives

There are many pieces of legislation, including strategic plans and policies, in place in Scotland that aim to protect the urban environment. This includes local policies and programmes which have stated objectives for managing and reducing noise. The principles and aims of sustainable development underpin many of the strategic policies and legislative drivers currently deployed and, where possible, aim to safeguard and improve biodiversity, landscape and cultural heritage.

The Scottish government has made a commitment to sustainable development that recognises and respects the quality of the environment, as well as plans for urban areas that emphasise the importance of considering the protection of the public. Other key national environmental policies include the importance of reducing road transport in favour of less polluting modes such as trains and transport by water. Climate change has also led to a number of key policy commitments, including the need to reduce emissions of harmful 'greenhouse' gases and to anticipate and respond to climate change as it progresses. Together, these policies provide a complex and challenging suite of environmental policies as the context in which the NAPs operate.

1.10 Summary of the likely effects of the NAPs

The Environmental Report has found that the NAPs will have a largely positive impact on the SEA issues. In particular, the NAPs will help to increase public awareness and understanding of noise and its adverse effects, although some uncertainties, arising from the level of detail within some of its policies, remain. The majority of proposed actions contained within the NAPs will have no adverse impacts on biodiversity, flora and fauna, water and soil. The NAPs do not specifically aim to deliver air quality benefits but it is possible that there will be some significant benefits to local air quality due to the potential for reduced transport use.

Testing the compatibility of the stated SEA objectives with the stated aims and objectives of the draft NAPs accords with all the SEA objectives. The findings of the SEA Environmental Report were considered by the core group members of the Scottish Environmental Noise Steering Group ( SENSG). In conclusion, the SEA Environmental Report did not identify any significant impacts that necessitated modifications to the draft NAPs.

The SEA Environmental Report proposes key mitigation measures for potential significant negative impacts of the NAPs. Measures to mitigate transport impacts associated with the NAPs were identified. The SEA Environmental Report proposed a framework for monitoring the significant environmental effects of the implementation of the NAPs. The focus of this assessment was the environmental characteristics of the draft NAPs. The NAPs have the potential to improve the quality of life and result in other beneficial impacts for those people identified as requiring some degree of protection against excessive noise from transport sources. Additional beneficial impacts may derive from considerations proposed as part of the NAPs which include policy led issues for:

  • Transportation and Land Use Planning;
  • Sustainable Transport;
  • Town Centres;
  • Freight Transport;
  • Rural Routes;
  • Public Transport;
  • School Travel;
  • Road Safety;
  • Maintenance and Network Management;
  • Winter Maintenance; and
  • Bridges and Road Structures.

Cumulative and synergistic effects of mitigation measures were appraised but cannot be fully assessed until the process of selection and declaration of NMAs and QAs has begun. A summary table showing possible interactions between policy areas and environmental effects is shown in Appendix 5.

Page updated: Monday, October 27, 2008