Using ICT to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Geography at Key Stage 4Idea 20 - 'Silence, please be quieter'

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Online Noise Maps

These can be examined before or after any fieldwork or as a standalone. They can be

printed out or used on screen. They are forms of Geographical Information System

where information is stored for a specific location and for a specific time and can be

interrogated and displayed in different ways.

Noise Mapping England

http://noisemapping.defra.gov.uk/cara/wps/portal/noise

The England noise maps were launched by Defra (Department for Environment, Food

and Rural Affairs) in May 2008. Some of the maps were compiled well before that date.

There are a variety of different maps available from detailed maps of the major cities of

England, searchable by post code and showing day and night noise levels from roads,

industry, railways and airports with a statistical chart for each given map. The maps are

quite small and not as high a resolution as the older, decommissioned London map or

indeed the maps available of Scotland, but they can be enlarged for use on PowerPoint

or another presentation package. There are also a number of PDF maps of areas of

England showing major railway and road routes with their associated noise levels.

Above: An example from the England Noise Map showing Nottingham average noise levels from roads during the day.

Using ICT to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Geography at Key Stage 4Idea 20 - 'Silence, please be quieter'

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The Scotland Noise Map

http://www.scottishnoisemapping.org/public/view-map.aspx

This is an interactive GIS map of the central lowlands of Scotland covering the area

between Edinburgh, the east coast and Glasgow on the west. The map can be

magnified and has a search facility. The major sources of noise pollution can be

identified and different sources can be switched on and off.

Above: Extract form part of the Scotland Noise map – inset map shows location.

Using ICT to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Geography at Key Stage 4Idea 20 - 'Silence, please be quieter'

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The Noise Map of Northern Ireland

http://www.noiseni.co.uk

This map covers the whole of Northern Ireland. The map can be magnified and is

searchable although the resolution is not as good as the Scotland map when viewing

specific small areas.

The Bristol Noise Map

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/Pollution/noise-environmental-noise-

mapping-in-bristol.en;jsessionid=3ED243E77253B1F76E26E785FE645AF4.tcwwwaplaws1

This is an interactive G.I.S. map for part of Bristol. Features of the map can be switched

on and off to enable the map to be viewed in different ways. The map can be magnified

and major sources of noise pollution identified. The map can be ‘toggled’ with the

Google Earth map of the same area, labels added or removed, places identified.

Using ICT to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Geography at Key Stage 4Idea 20 - 'Silence, please be quieter'

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The Paris Noise Map

The Paris Noise map plots noise for each of the arrondissements [areas] of Paris. Two

different types of map can be selected – 2D and 3D, the maps may be rotated and

magnified. The statistics option produces a transect chart across the whole of the city

and also specific pie charts for noise levels during the day and at night for each

arrondissement. Maps for night or day may be selected and specific areas and places,

such as railway stations or sites of interest, may be searched in the search facility.

Suggestions:

The map may be used to choose the best place to live or, if you are a visitor, to have a

quiet picnic in the summer. It could be used to predict where the greatest density of

traffic will be – reflected by the greatest noise values in the day and at night. A new

location for a housing area might be selected and examined in terms of the surrounding

noise levels.

Using ICT to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Geography at Key Stage 4Idea 20 - 'Silence, please be quieter'

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The Noise Map of London

This was probably one of the best maps to use but it has been decommissioned. See

http://www.londonnoisemap.com for more information about this map.

The Airport Noise Maps

http://www.defra.gov.uk/Environment/noise/mapping/transportation/aviation/index.htm

These are available online for all of the major airports in Britain. Two maps are

available, one for the day and one for night times. The maps have an OS map base and

show dB noise levels as ‘isohyets’ to make a distinct sound footprint or umbrella. Don’t

forget sound moves in three dimensions.

An Example: Noise at Gatwick Airport

Noise contours or isohyets have been produced

for many years. These use air traffic data during

the summer months to estimate the level of noise

experienced by people living round the airport.

The noise umbrella are taken for the average

summer’s day – 07.00 – 23.00 (Leq)1 The new Environmental Noise Directive (END)

from the EU requires that noise maps be made for the average day over a whole year.

This shows higher noise levels because it attracts an artificial waiting of between 5 and

10 dB for night flights. This means that the END map is an average noise map.

1 These represent different times of the day – Lday 07.00 -19.00. Levening 19.00 -23.00, Lnight 23.00 – 07.00, Leg16hr 07.00 – 23.00, and Lden 00.00 – 24.00

Using ICT to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Geography at Key Stage 4Idea 20 - 'Silence, please be quieter'

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Suggestions for use:

It is possible to work out for each airport which urban areas and villages are affected by

the noise footprint. The maps used in association with images from Google or Flash

Earth can illustrate those most affected and students can work out strategies to

minimise the effect on these areas, such as noise management in terms of building

design, changing the flight paths and time frames for flights or many other alternatives.

The impact of extending the airport and its impact on the noise footprint can also be

extrapolated from the pattern.