Managing land transport noise under the RMA

Abstract

Land transport noise arises from vehicles traveling on road and rail corridors. It is an increasing issue in New Zealand affecting mainly urban areas. Prolonged noise exposure can impact on amenity values and health in some circumstances.

This Guidance Note provides information on planning options for addressing land transport noise. Data collection and monitoring approaches are also discussed.

Managing noise is just one element of transport and land use planning; for guidance on planning for the land transport system see the Land Transport Guidance Note. Further advice on managing the impacts of noise is contained in the Noise in Mixed Use Environments Guidance Note.

For the purposes of this guidance note, noise is defined as 'unwanted sound ' and excludes ground transmitted vibration.

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Guidance note

Background

Options for addressing land transport noise

Local approaches - district plan response

Local approaches - other mechanisms

Background

Land transport noise is defined as noise arising from vehicles travelling on road and rail corridors and consists of a number of components. The need to effectively manage the noise effects associated with land transport activities is gaining prominence due to a range of factors, including:

• increased private vehicle use
• a greater number of vehicles and increasing traffic densities
• increased proportion of trucks and service vehicles
• changing travel patterns (ie, vehicles are on the road at all hours of the day and night, not just peak hours)
• growing population
• increasing population densities in most urban centres (particularly around transport nodes;
• increased community awareness of adverse factors in the environment.

Rail noise is created in a similar way to road transport noise. Train wheels, track vibration and engine mechanisms are the key components. Rail noise is also influenced by auxiliary equipment such as brakes and ventilation systems. Train frequency, speed, train type and infrastructure (such as curves and turbulence) also determine noise emissions.

Land use information and projections contained in regional land transport strategies, corridor plans prepared by Transit New Zealand and specific studies commissioned by local authorities can play a useful role in helping identify the noise related impacts associated with these factors.

There are three stages in which the effects of land transport noise can be addressed. These are:

• reducing noise at the source
• reducing the transmission of noise
• avoiding or mitigating noise at the receiving end.

The primary focus of this note is on the last of these stages.

Land transport noise is predominantly experienced along major road corridors, particularly in built up, urban areas, and residential subdivisions near road corridors. Although not as prominent an issue as road transport noise, noise associated with the movement of passengers and freight by rail also needs to be considered.

Interestingly, road transport noise is considered to cause greater annoyance than rail noise. Unlike vehicle noise people appear to become accustomed to railway noise exposure and annoyance decreases over time.

Exposure to land transport noise can affect the health of people and communities, ranging from general interference with everyday activities through to more significant health issues. Excessive noise creates stress-type responses, with sleep disturbance being a common complaint. Noise affects people in different ways and creates various reactions depending on the level of noise, the timing and the activities individuals are engaged in. For more information refer to the Noise in Mixed Use Environments guidance note.

Land transport noise can also particularly affect activities that are sensitive to noise interference. Equally, such activities can have a reverse sensitivity affect on the nature and scale of operations within road and rail corridors.

What are acceptable noise levels?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) noise guidelines provide guidance levels for different activities and environments. The WHO levels are very low and are significantly exceeded in many environments. WHO recommend internal noise levels below 35dBA Leq for speech comprehension. For outdoor living areas in residential areas exposure levels should not exceed 50 ­ 55dBA Leq, and in internal sleeping areas =30dBA Leq (8hr) is recommended. Internationally, these levels have not been adopted for the design or management of land transport corridors, as these levels may be unachievable in areas next to major land transport corridors. This demonstrates the need for early land use planning to avoid exposing people and communities to excessive noise levels.

Satisfactory and maximum values are also included in AS/NZ 2107:2000 Acoustics ­ Recommended Design Sound Levels and Reverberation Times for Building Interiors. The standard prescribes slightly higher levels of 30 to 40dBA Leq (8-hr) for sleeping areas on 'major ' roads compared with 30 to 35dBA Leq (8-hr) in bedrooms near 'minor ' roads. Like the WHO guidelines, these standards include recommended values for a variety of rooms and building uses.

In summary, there is a variety of guidance, particularly describing levels at which health effects are very unlikely to occur. To date no explicit national noise criteria have been developed. There is also no common international standard for roads or railway lines - most countries appear to base decisions on their local context, tempered by what is affordable. Typically, criteria for designing new infrastructure are more stringent than for managing existing infrastructure, however non-regulatory methods may be available to help manage existing noise.

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Options for addressing land transport noise

There are a variety of alternatives to address land transport noise including technical and legal options, physical works and land use planning. A combination of technical and land use planning solutions is usually necessary to achieve effective noise management although the emphasis in this note is on the latter.

Land use planning options attempt to address noise in a strategic manner. They provide consistency and certainty when implemented early in the planning process. Land use planning approaches to control the effects of land transport noise can occur at national, regional or local levels and can be complemented by other measures such as bylaws (eg, restrictions on engine braking) and urban design.

Options include:

• Local approaches: district plan objectives, policies, rules and associated standards, noise barriers, building design, setbacks, site layout and building orientation.
• Regional planning approaches: regional land transport strategy and associated transport policies, district and regional planning policies such as restrictions on sensitive activities along transport corridors, urban design and mixed use development.
• National approaches: National environmental standards, New Zealand Transport Strategy, New Zealand standards, building codes, Urban Design Protocol.

This guidance note focuses on local approaches to planning for land transport noise. Further information on other approaches is provided in the Land Transport guidance note.

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Local approaches - district plan response

District plans should manage local scale effects of land transport noise and ensure long term, cumulative impacts of noise are prevented. The choice of land use planning options depends largely on the existing environment, planning provisions and available funding. For example, a busy central city area will require a different approach compared with areas subject to future residential subdivision and semi-rural living.

1) Setting acceptable noise levels

It is important to establish existing noise levels when developing objectives, policies and rules on land transport noise.

Noise can be modelled for transport corridors to estimate existing and future noise levels. Understanding the noise baseline assists with the implementation of appropriate policy measures such as objectives and rules. A number of tools are available to predict noise levels from transport corridors, with the UK Calculation of Road Traffic Noise (CRTN) being the most widely recognised in New Zealand.

Most urban councils will have a good understanding of current noise prone areas. These tend to be along key transport routes where there is a high level of land use development, particularly residential. Monitoring of traffic related noise complaints can help identify problem areas but to date such monitoring has not been applied in any systematic manner.

Establishing existing and predicted noise levels is a crucial aspect of noise management. Territorial authorities should:

• gather baseline information on land transport noise
• identify and map noise 'hotspots '
• calculate long term noise levels
• identify suitable methods to manage the effects of land transport noise
• work with Transit New Zealand, the regional council and other councils within their region to implement the Regional Land Transport Strategy, any existing corridor plans and to identify potential growth areas and their associated road and rail corridors
• implement improvement programmes in road and rail corridors where necessary
• develop monitoring programmes using baseline information.

Plan options

Specific district planning options include:

• Location policies - such as recognising the hierarchy of roads within the district, locating new housing in close proximity to public transport (ie, reducing the need to travel by private motor vehicle and the magnitude of noise generated), or specifying suitable setbacks from major arterial roads. Policies can also be developed to address reverse sensitivity (ie, restricting certain land uses near existing or planned road and rail corridors, placing conditions on resource consents).
• Control based measures - such as zoning, site layout to reduce the transmission of, or exposure to, noise or performance standards for noise sensitive activities (eg, demonstrating that the recommended internal sound levels outlined in AS/NZS 2107:2000 - Acoustics can be met).
• Building controls and standards - such as acoustic insulation requirements (like proposed amendment G6 - Airborne and Impact Sound to the Building Code).
• Urban design - such as mixed used development that aims to reduce private vehicle use or the siting, orientation and design of buildings that reduces noise impacts.
• strategic land use planning - such as development of planning approaches that promote land use patterns that reduce dependency on private vehicles.

Control based measures can be used in combination to achieve a specific performance standard. This approach is taken in the proposed Christchurch City Plan. The plan includes setback provisions which may be increased or decreased depending on the presence or absence of technical methods, such as noise bunds or acoustic insulation.

Urban design and building controls can be used to mitigate land transport related noise effects in newly developed areas by restricting vehicle access or influencing building orientation and layout. Also refer to the Noise in Mixed Use Environments Guidance Note.

Although land transport noise is currently not an issue in every district it is important to recognise that it has the potential to be in the future. Plans and policies need to be deliberately developed with this in mind. For example, plans should include measures to manage future transport and land use developments that may impact on sensitive receivers or create reverse sensitivity effects.

Noise management in future growth areas

Given the direct correlation between noise and urban growth, transport noise should be considered when forecasting and planning for future growth and development in a district or region.

Increased noise levels are directly related to ongoing increases in private car ownership and heavy vehicle use. Consequently, new development that increases traffic volumes in an area may also increase the level of noise experienced by those already living in the area, particularly those who live along major roadways. Noise management approaches need to take into account these cumulative effects.

Another means of addressing noise is to consider the wider transport network itself. Sustainable transport planning aims to reduce reliance on private vehicle use and encourage the use of public transport by establishing land use patterns that reduce the dependency to travel long distances. A number of policies in Section 12.3.1 of the North Shore City Plan seek to reduce dependence on private vehicles. For example, new subdivisions are required to develop facilities for cyclists, pedestrians and passenger transport. Increased public transport patronage may also help to reduce noise levels.

Also refer to Regulatory/Non-regulatory Methods - Setbacks and buffer zones.

2) Policies

District plans should describe why noise is an issue and how it will be addressed. Policies should:

• seek to maintain acceptable levels of noise while addressing future growth impacts
• recognise the relationship between land use and transport planning.

Key policy aims might include:

• restricting the development of sensitive activities close to transport corridors
• applying specific targets based on an assessment of ambient noise levels
• setting performance standards for sensitive activities
• setting performance standards for outdoor living areas (such as school playgrounds)
• reducing existing noise exposure through non-regulatory methods and incentives
• encouraging mixed used development in urban areas (to reduce the need to travel).

Kapiti Coast District Council includes an objective and policies relating to transport noise in Section C14 - Noise of their district plan. The policies set out a useful framework for developing methods to address potential impacts concerning road development and reverse sensitivity.

The proposed Hamilton City Plan also includes policies to protect residential activities from the adverse effects of transport noise. The proposed plan notes that existing noise issues are best addressed using technical options such as noise barriers and quieter road surfacing.

The development of a clear policy position is also a useful means to ensure that reverse sensitivity issues are appropriately managed. A number of Environment Court cases (see for example: A049/02 Winstone Aggregates Ltd v Papakura District Council) have sought to prevent conflicts arising by limiting or prohibiting the establishment of new land uses where the effects from current activities are likely to result in complaints from new neighbours.

3) Regulatory methods/non-regulatory methods (optional)

Methods should describe how noise management policies will be implemented and explain how acceptable noise levels can be met.

Methods might include, amongst others:

• rules that set out specific performance standards to mitigate the effect of noise generated along transport corridors on new dwellings. Resource consent conditions may be applicable for some developments
• rules to manage the establishment of sensitive activities in noisy environments (ie. reverse sensitivity)
• performance standards and design guidelines for new buildings, or additions to existing buildings, located near road or rail corridors
• structure plans or concept plans that require land use/road buffers and appropriate landscape treatment (eg, bunding).

Specific tools might include controlling land transport noise effects by:

• using setbacks from roads
• setting performance standards for sensitive activities
• zoning to recognise ambient noise levels and associated policies that reflect these levels
• combining building and land use controls (eg, requiring new developments or extensions to existing buildings to include acoustic insulation or double glazing)
• providing guidance on how to 'build out ' noise (eg, using acoustic insulation)
• linking to other policies that reduce reliance on private travel.

Under s.31(1)(d) local authorities can set controls on noise levels in plans or through resource consent conditions for any land located outside a designated road corridor.

Although land transport noise is not an issue in every area, consideration should be given to whether rules need to be developed to ensure long term cumulative effects of noise do not arise.

Things to consider include:

• What are the predicted transport growth levels for the area and the nature of this growth (eg, car, heavy transport)?
• How will development affect transport demand and volumes and what will be the corresponding effect on noise levels?
• Is there land available for setbacks?
• What is an appropriate setback distance based on land use types/traffic density?
• What are the types of effects and/or activities anticipated or provided to occur within an area?
• Do any designations exist and are the controls and land area adequate?
• Are there any potential 'hotspots ' or new land use proposals that would create land transport noise issues in future?

The types of rules that can be included in district plans to control the effects of land transport noise are:

• performance based rules for sensitive receivers in urban areas
• performance standards based on the activity (eg, as per the WHO guidelines)
• area based performance standards
• performance standards for roads and rail.

Use of a performance based approach involves establishing an acceptable noise level for particular activities or areas. For example, noise levels in bedrooms should be lower than those in outside play areas.

There are advantages and disadvantages associated with this approach. Advantages include simplicity and universal application. Disadvantages often relate to costs and the inability to cater for future noise levels. This reiterates the importance of long term predictions.

As rail noise is generally more tolerable than road noise, performance standards for new rail corridors are often more lenient compared with roads. In many countries, noise limits for railway corridors are around 5dBA higher than those set for roads.

Specific examples of performance based standards used to control the effects of land transport noise, along with their respective pros and cons, are outlined below. Many of these controls can also be used as conditions on designations.

Setbacks and buffer zones

• Site layout can be specified for particular zones through setback provisions. Setbacks provide for noise dissipation reducing the effect of noise on receivers. Setback requirements can be applied to transport corridors as well as buildings.
• By making long term transport and development projections, planning authorities can plan for growth and related noise by establishing setback provisions or environmental buffer zones along existing transport corridors or land proposed for urban development. Additionally, transport requiring authorities can designate and acquire corridors of sufficient width to mitigate the adverse effects of noise on future growth areas (eg, through bunding and landscape treatment).
• An added benefit of setbacks is that they can subsequently be utilised to provide for walking or cycling tracks, or reserves which can add amenity value.
• Setbacks can be inefficient in terms of land loss and cost of purchase and may be costly to maintain.
• Districts need to identify who is responsible for these costs (ie, landowner, transport authority, local authority).
• Existing land use patterns may preclude the practical imposition of setbacks in urban situations.

Zoning

• Zoning can be used to restrict noise sensitive activities in a particular zone and to direct less sensitive activities to locations close to corridors.

Structural restrictions

• Structural controls such as building height or orientation can be used to address noise. Alternatively, the resource consent process can be used if issues are complex or it is difficult to define a single standard or measurable solution. These measures are particularly relevant where development occurs near a road that has barriers or bunds. As barriers need to block the 'line of sight ' to be effective a barrier next to a multi storey building will provide little benefit to residents on upper levels.

Reverse Sensitivity

The Napier City District Plan contains rules regarding noise levels including performance standards for residential dwellings and subdivisions within the Hawke 's Bay Expressway noise boundary. Rule 5.22 (2) of the plan sets out standards for acoustic insulation and requires habitable spaces of any building used for a noise sensitive activity located within the noise boundary to be adequately insulated from noise. Under the plan, adequate sound insulation equates to an average indoor design sound level of 40dBA Leq in any room used for sleeping and 45dBA Leq in all other habitable spaces.

4) Anticipated environmental outcomes (optional)

One of the anticipated environmental outcomes associated with the management of noise in plans should be the protection of people and communities from the impacts of land transport noise exposure. Reliance on established acceptable noise levels may help establish whether anticipated environmental results are being achieved.

The proposed Hamilton City Plan includes noise related objectives in Section 7.4.3 and associated anticipated outcomes in Section 5.1. The Council anticipates that the community will be protected from the adverse effects of noise and that residential amenity values will be maintained using measures in the plan. On certain roads in the district habitable rooms associated with new residential activities, or extensions to habitable rooms, must meet an internal noise level of 40dBA L10 (18 hour).

5) Defining zones based on the character and function of an area

This approach involves applying a specific ambient noise level to a wider zone, based on the character and function of the area.

In using this approach local authorities should identify:

• types of uses that are appropriate/not appropriate in areas affected by land transport noise
• assessment criteria relevant to different uses
• whether impacts can be appropriately managed
• potential reverse sensitivity issues arising from planned subdivisions near future road or rail corridors.

6) Rezoning

Rezoning may be necessary where noise levels are increasing to an unsustainable level and cannot be controlled through other means. While it provides guidance as to the future use of the area it can take time to implement and may be unpalatable to existing land owners. Noise affecting existing land owners may also need to be addressed through additional technical measures such as acoustic insulation (refer Wellington City Council noise insulation rule).

7) Monitoring

Territorial authorities need to undertake noise measurement for monitoring purposes, particularly in urban areas. Territorial authorities should state what monitoring will be undertaken and this should form part of a dedicated monitoring programme. Equally, noise provisions included in plans need to be appropriately enforced to ensure their ongoing effectiveness.

• Noise levels should be assessed at the outset of policy development to provide baseline information to help determine future policy improvements and to establish priorities for ongoing monitoring.
• The number and type of people affected should be established.
• Territorial authorities should commit to regular reviews of monitoring programmes.

Monitoring options include:

• monitoring individual consent conditions where noise levels are stipulated
• maintaining a noise complaints register
• measuring noise levels at individual sites
• noise mapping.

8) Noise mapping

Developing noise maps can be one of the most effective means of monitoring land transport noise and deciding on management strategies.

 

Noise mapping is a systematic process to 'map ' noise in a given area. Noise maps provide a visual interpretation of the location and number of people affected by noise in an area. They are produced for different purposes (eg, the identification of areas where a specific limit value is exceeded), and range from basic contour maps to more sophisticated approaches that incorporate datasets on population density, building fabrication and the location of artificial structures such as noise barriers.

Existing noise mapping in New Zealand is currently limited to noise contour mapping around ports and airports but can be extended to include other sensitive environments. Contour maps are less effective at assessing any changes that might affect the noise contours. GIS based mapping that is regularly verified and updated is far more useful.

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Local approaches - other mechanisms

• Urban design strategies outline the principles of good urban design and provide strategic actions to translate these principles into policy and practice. Urban design considers the relationship between roads and the character and functioning of urban and rural environments through which they pass. The location and form of roads and buildings may also be considered. A number of cities, including Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland are in the process of developing or updating urban design strategies.
• Bylaws can address matters such as heavy vehicle and engine braking through the use of signage and the establishment of vehicle entry restrictions.
• NZ Standards can provide technical guidance (eg, NZS 6805:1992 Port noise management and land use planning and NZS 6805:1999 Airport noise management and land use planning). The standards outline methods and guidance for establishing noise assessment and land use planning provisions through district plans.
• Building guidance or codes of practice set out performance criteria for buildings. A proposal to change Clause G6 of the New Zealand Building Code would introduce acoustic performance of multi-unit dwellings that may be of some assistance for managing noise from road and rail corridors.
• Roading authority guidance such as Transit 's Environmental Plan and the Noise Guideline in its Planning Policy Manual. The plan and guideline contain performance criteria to assist Transit to design new roads and address existing noise problems.

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Best practice examples

Objectives and policies

Kapiti Coast District Plan
The Kapiti Coast District Plan includes specific objectives and policies on land transport noise in Section C-14 - Noise.

Rules

Proposed Hamilton City Plan ­ Noise Part 5.1
The proposed Hamilton City Plan contains rules relating to land transport noise and sets maximum acceptable noise levels within different zones.

Proposed Rodney District Plan ­ General Rules
Rodney District Council provides an example of setting performance standards for new roads and residential developments. The proposed plan includes land transport noise provisions under General Rules for roads and residential developments.

Proposed Christchurch City Plan ­ Rules for Residential Zones
Rule 2.4.7 of the proposed plan includes specific area based setback provisions for residential and other activities. Although the rules are limited to certain roads they provide an example of using an incremental approach to reducing the transmission of noise. The rule does not set a target for ambient noise levels in dwellings. Instead, it describes the noise reduction sought from acoustic treatment assuming that certain treatments and setbacks will achieve an acceptable noise level at the receiving end.

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RMA provisions

• Section 2 (Definition of roads, noise and infrastructure)
• Section 5 (Purpose)
• Section 16 (Duty to avoid unreasonable noise)
• Section 17 (Duty to avoid, remedy or mitigate adverse effects)
• Section 31 (Functions of territorial authorities)
• Section 74 (Matters to be considered by territorial authority)

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Useful websites

• Transit New Zealand
• Ministry of Transport
• The World Health Organisation Guidelines for Community Noise
• UK Planning Policy Guidance 24: Planning and Noise
• UK Calculation of Road Traffic Noise 1988
• New South Wales Road Transport Authority
• Austroads

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Case law

C60/04 Robinsons Bay Trust v Christchurch City Council and others.  
This decision discusses land use planning in relation to airport noise and defines sensitive receivers.

A010/97 Auckland Regional Council v Auckland City Council
This decision clarifies Territorial Authority functions for controlling land use and providing for reverse sensitivity in plans. The Court found that the functions of territorial authorities under the RMA include the integrated management of the effects of the use of land, and control of actual or potential effects of the use of land, including reverse sensitivity.

A049/02 Winstone Aggregates Ltd v Papakura District Council
This decision upheld the approach of providing for reverse sensitivity in plans by restricting activities that can take place on surrounding land in limited circumstances. The decision acknowledges that some off-site effects are inevitable, essentially where the effects-producing site is of considerable economic or social significance.

A30/03 Hill Park Residents Association Inc. v Auckland Regional Council
This decision required the removal of a substantial noise wall that had been erected to provide noise protection to a part of the Regional Botanic Gardens. The residents on the opposite side of the road were successful in claiming that the noise that they experienced had changed in nature and loudness, presumably because of reflections. The case emphasises the care needed in designing noise mitigation, and assessing and documenting the resultant effects.

C35/2004 Nelson Intermediate School v Transit NZ
This decision rejected Transit 's application for a designation for a new road known as the "Nelson Southern Link". The case makes numerous references to noise, including in relation to schools, pre-schools and residential areas.

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Related guidance notes

• Land Transport
• Policy Framework
• Writing provisions for regional and district plans
• Monitoring and Reporting One-Stop-Shop
• Noise Management in Mixed-Use Urban Environments
• RMA Enforcement

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Work in progress

Land Transport Noise National Environmental Standard

In 2004 Cabinet noted that preliminary analysis of the land transport noise issue indicated that it met the National Environmental Standard (NES) development criteria and invited the Ministers of Transport and the Environment to report back on an appropriate way forward.

In response the Transport and Environment Ministries are jointly leading a scoping exercise on possible mechanisms, including an NES, to reduce the impacts of land transport noise on human health and the environment. Once the options have been assessed and relevant stakeholders consulted the Ministers of Transport and Environment will put a joint paper to Cabinet seeking a determination on whether a national policy or standard should be developed.

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Relevant publications

Standards

NZS 6801:1999: Acoustics -­ Measurement of Sound
Published by Standards New Zealand - November 1999
This standard defines basic quantities to be used for the description of sound in community environments and describes procedures for the determination of these quantities.

AS/NZS 2107:2000 Acoustics ­- Recommended Design Sound Levels and Reverberation Times for Building Interiors
Published by Standards New Zealand - December 2000
Recommends design sound levels and reverberation times for different areas of occupancy in various buildings and specifies methods of measuring the ambient sound level reverberation time.

Other publications

Transportation and Noise (PDF 757KB)
Published by Incite - August 2005
This research carried out in Christchurch in 2004 and 2005 looks at the problem of land transport noise in New Zealand and examines the effects of noise and options for its reduction.

Hawke's Bay Expressway: Noise and Air Quality Issues
Published by Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment - July 2005
This report discusses and evaluates the impacts of the Hawke’s Bay Expressway
on people who live close to the road.

Noise impacts of land transport (PDF 1577KB)
Published by Malcolm Hunt Associates - November 2004
Information on possible policy options to address noise from land transport activities in New Zealand, with preliminary recommendations on methods to manage the impact of this noise.

AP-R277/05: Modelling, Measuring and Mitigating Road Traffic Noise
Published by Austroads - November 2005
Explores the role of noise impact assessment in managing road traffic noise and includes an examination of noise modelling, noise measurement and monitoring and noise mitigation approaches.

Planning Policy Manual
Published by Transit New Zealand - December 1999
The manual describes how Transit will manage state highways under the various statutes that apply to the state highway system, land use planning and the environment.

Although now partially superseded by the Transit New Zealand Environmental Plan, the Guidelines for the Management of Road Traffic Noise - State Highway Improvements in Appendix 6 remain current.

Transit New Zealand Environmental Plan
Published by Transit New Zealand - November 2004
This plan details Transit's responses to the Land Transport Management Act 2003 (LTMA) which requires Transit to "exhibit a sense of social and environmental responsibility".

It supersedes parts of the Transit Planning Policy Manual and includes a specific section on Transit 's management of noise from state highways.

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Current challenges in practice

Lack of consistency

Presently few district plans contain rules relating to land transport noise. Some plans have residential rules but no controls on roads, while others default to the Transit New Zealand Guidelines. Territorial authorities have expressed concern with the lack of national guidance on developing noise policies and rules, arguing that this has contributed to a lack of consistency across districts.

District plans that do have rules primarily focus these on new development. Existing noise issues are only addressed where new residential construction is proposed near a major transport corridor. Rules often specify acceptable noise levels at the receiver end, rather than at source. At worst, this gap could lead to unsustainable transport and land use planning that fails to address the long term implications of urban development and growth.

In the absence of effective policies or rules for transport and land use planning, development has often occurred without regard for noise impacts. If this continues, there will be a greater need for expensive mitigation measures.

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Lack of integrated planning

The lack of integration between land use and transport planning is discussed in the Land Transport Guidance Note. Integrated decision-making across land use, environment and transport policy is fundamental to sustainable and strategic goals. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment recommended greater integration of land use, environmental and transport planning in The Cities and Their People: New Zealand 's Urban Environment. An integrated approach means policies and standards are consistent in their approach to achieving sustainable outcomes including those related to transport.

When developing policies on noise, land transport noise should be managed as part of an overall plan to reduce the impacts of transport on human health and the environment. Any policy must be carefully integrated with existing or proposed policies to provide consistency and transparency. This is essential for long term, sustainable transport.

The eight councils within the Auckland region (Franklin, Rodney and Papakura District Councils; Auckland, Manukau, North Shore and Waitakere City Councils; and the Auckland Regional Council) have integrated policies as part of implementing the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy and the Auckland Regional Land Transport Strategy 2005. The Transport Strategy envisages a safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable transport system that meets the Auckland region's accessibility needs at a reasonable cost. Proposed changes to district plans aim to provide stronger links between transport projects, growth areas and land use.

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Acknowledgements and editorial comments

This Guidance Note has been developed for the Quality Planning Website from original material prepared for Land Transport New Zealand by Rochelle Hardy and Matthew McCallum-Clark of Incite. It has been shaped and reviewed by Greg Vossler and Gina Sweetman from the Ministry for the Environment and reviewed by Matiu Park, Ministry of Transport and Lisa Rossiter, Transit New Zealand. The Ministry for the Environment would also like to thank the following people for their input into the preparation of this guidance note:

Jan Crawford, Planning Consultants Ltd

Robert Schofield, Boffa Miskell Ltd

Lindsay Daysh, GHD Ltd.

 

This guidance note was prepared in May 2006.