The Performance of Quieter Surfaces Over Time

The Highways Agency implements the Government’s noise policy of mitigating the effects of noise, where practicable, arising from traffic on the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Quieter surfaces have been one of the key measures used by the Agency in order to manage and reduce noise impacts where possible. However, very little is known about the long term acoustic performance of these surfaces, which is essential when considering the sustainability of this type of mitigation. This work focuses on this need through the collection and analysis of appropriate long term data. As well as providing information on which to form appropriate long term surfacing corrections to be used in noise assessments, the data are designed to assist the Agency’s response to the Environmental Noise Directive. These data have been analysed in conjunction with historical data to provide recommendations on the classification and performance of low noise surfaces over time.