The UK noise climate 1990–2001: population exposure and attitudes to environmental noise

During 1999–2001 the building research establishment (BRE) undertook a measurement based survey of environmental noise levels and a social survey of population attitudes to environmental noise in the UK. The surveys involved a total of 1160 24-h noise measurements at a sample of dwellings in the UK, and over 5500 in-depth interviews with a sample of the UK adult population. Both samples were of a clustered random design, and were representative of the UK population. The results of the surveys have been compared with those from similar surveys undertaken by BRE in 1990/1991 and are currently being used to help formulate a more strategic approach to the control of environmental noise both nationally and in London.