Traffic noise pollution affects thousands

No solutions and no hope for many people

noise from traffic is having a harmful affect on more than 80,000 people in Alicante province and in many cases it is almost impossible to ease their misery, according to a government report.

People living close to roads that are the responsibility of either the national government or the regional one, are having to suffer noise levels that exceed 55 decibels in the day time and 50 decibels at night, which in both cases is far higher than the recommended maximum limits.

The 80,000 figure refers to people who live close to major national roads and along thoroughfares that go through urban areas.

The estimated figure was compiled by the public works ministry and the regional infrastructure department using details from noise pollution surveys they completed in 2010 and 2011.

Checks were carried out on all roads that carried more than six million vehicles per year.

It was found that many of the 80,000 people affected by excessive noise live close to state run roads in the province.

The figures show that over 62,000 people are exposed to high levels of noise from traffic during the day and a further 35,000 at night.

They also highlighted that children studying at 161 schools are being subjected to high noise levels along with staff and patients at 21 hospitals and medical centres.

Some of the worst locations include the A-31 as it passes though Petrer and Villena, the A-70 in Villafranqueza and the N-332 through Altea, Benissa and Gata de Gorgos.

In some case the noise levels could be reduced by building bypasses to take traffic away from built-up areas but in others, finding a solution is almost impossible due to geographical constraints.

In Altea for example, calls to have a section of the AP-7 motorway toll free, so that traffic could be directed away from the town centre, have been ignored while the authorities continue to talk about a scheme to build a bypass on the N-332.

With no state funding available for such a project and the problems involved in expropriating land, this scheme is unlikely to get the go ahead for decades.

Other areas that are affected by noise pollution include El Comtat, l'Alcoiá, Alto, Medio and Baix Vinalopó and the Vega Baja along with some towns in the Marina Alta.