Noise

Background

Rail has good environmental credentials but noise remains a significant environmental weakness. It is the dominant cause of community concern and pollution complaints for existing rail networks, forcing rail agencies to take a reactive approach to noise management, with over-reliance on costly and unsightly noise barriers, significantly undermining efficiency and public image. It is also the primary cause of community concern and trigger for mitigation treatments for rail expansion projects.

Objective

The project aims to improve industry productivity by streamlining the way noise issues are managed, improve effectiveness and reduce construction and maintenance costs, deliver environmental benefits to the community and the economy, and build the existing rail noise research infrastructure into a viable group.

Outcomes

In particular the project will:

• build a consolidated body of existing knowledge on conditions giving rise to curving noise,
• develop a systematic methodology for identifying the causes of curving noise, and
• deliver environmental benefits to the community and the economy.

Benefits

The benefits of the project are a substantially improved understanding of curve noise and solutions together with a shift towards management of the underlying causes rather than the outcomes of noise. This will lead to a substantial improvement in cost effectiveness and competitiveness for the rail sector . The project will provide a strong basis for demonstrating best practice in rail noise management particularly in urban areas and a reduced risk of noise being a hindrance to rail expansion and growth. These outcomes will lead to wider economic and climate change benefits.