Facts and Figures

A19NAG

Billingham A19
Noise Action Group

Email A19NAGGERS

A 19 BILLINGHAM BYPASS FACTS & FIGURES.

· The Noisy Concrete section of the road is 4.2 kilometres long.

· Only about 1.5 kilometres of the concrete section is close to Wolviston Court Estate

· There are around 400 properties affected by the road noise.

· Over 50 of these properties back directly on to the A19

· Over 62000 vehicles a day use the road. More than 15% of these are HGVs. (This represents an increase of over 25% over the last 9 years).

These figures will increase in 2011 when the new Tyne Tunnel opens and further increase when a hospital is built at Wynyard in 2015

· This is the only section of concrete surface on the entire length of the A19. The section at Thirsk was resurfaced recently.

· The concrete was supposed to be an experimental surface, which was not expected to last more than 20 years

· Under the scheme for surface replacement Billingham bypass rated 17th out of 74 schemes when comparing properties per/km affected.

· A19 Billingham bypass is the 7th busiest concrete trunk road in England. None of the roads ranked higher have as much housing in close proximity.

· The residents of Wolviston Court Estate have endured the noise for over 25 years

· Properties are experiencing noise levels of the order of 70dB. (A similar noise level as a vacuum cleaner at 3 metres)

NOISE POLLUTION FACTS & FIGURES

· The Highways Agency are proposing to use a threshold criteria of 76dB in deciding priorities for resurfacing of noisy roads.

· Preliminary noise measurements by Stockton Borough Council have recorded noise levels of 70dB* in one location on Wolviston Court Estate.

· *This latest data was collected in early June 2009. Weather records show the wind was mainly from NNE at that time. Noise levels from the A19 are perceptibly higher when wind is blowing from the West, which is the prevailing wind direction.

· The World Health Organisation states that: - Daytime noise levels of less than 55dB are desirable to prevent community annoyance and less than 35dB is recommended to preserve the restorative process of sleep.

· The European Union Environment Agency states that: - Noise above a certain volume threshold (from 60 dB) affects not only the Well - being, but also the health of citizens.