Environmental indicator 06 Noise pollution
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European Green Capital Award – Frankfurt am Main’s application
Environmental indicator 06 Noise pollution
Question 1 Present details of the original and/or most recent Action Plan, including any
(max. 1,000 words) relevant disadvantages or constraints resulting from historical and/or
geographical factors which may have influenced this indicator area negatively.
Provide details of:
1. Share of population exposed to noise values of L (day) above 55 dB(A);
2. Share of population exposed to noise values of L (night) above 45 dB(A).
Frankfurt, a key European financial and service centre, is located at the heart of
the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main metropolitan region and is known for its excellent
infrastructure.
The city is Germany’s central traffic hub and the crossing point for motorways
linking every part of the country. Around 331,000 motor vehicles pass through the
Frankfurter Kreuz motorway junction every day. 70 km of motorway lie within the
city area. Road traffic is generated not only by the 688,000 people living in the
city but also by the 325,000 inward and 68,000 outward commuters. Together
with large numbers of visitors (tourists, shoppers, visitors to cultural events and
trade fairs), they make around 3.5 million journeys in the city area every day.
Some 1,730 trains arrive at Frankfurt’s main railway station each day. On
workdays, passengers number around 350,000. The city’s 7 underground lines,
8 tram lines and 57 bus routes, extending over nearly 700 km, are used
by 191 million passengers a year. Around 660 million passengers use the
Rhine-Main Traffic Association’s regional network every year.
Frankfurt has two ports, which are of prime importance for local industry.
Germany’s largest airport is located not far from the city centre, which can be
reached by train in a matter of minutes. Some 1,300 aircraft take off from or land
at Frankfurt Airport each day. Flight movements are set to increase by more than
50% from the present 464,000 to 700,000 by 2020. The airport is currently being
expanded to cope with this huge increase. A new runway will open in October
2011, giving the airport four runways in all.
This dense transport system is one of the reasons for Frankfurt’s economic
prosperity. The downside is the noise produced by motor vehicles, aircraft, trains
and boats. Noise is not merely disruptive; it also has a recognised negative
impact on human health. Motor vehicle traffic is the main source of noise in the
city.
The following data on noise pollution in Frankfurt are taken from Hesse’s 2007
noise maps
Link
and from the Noise Action Plan, road traffic sub-plan 2010.
Link
1.
There are no data on the proportion of the population subjected to noise levels
above 55 dB(A) during the day. Separate sets of data can merely be provided on
the pollution caused by road, rail and air traffic noise. These figures should not be
added together to avoid multiple counting.The Lden indicated applies to periods of 24 hours. There are no data for daytime hours only. Lden >55 dB(A) • 203,100 people affected by road traffic noise (30% of the population) • 30,400 people affected by rail traffic noise (4% of the population) • 13,500 people affected by air traffic noise (2% of the population) • 3,300 people affected by industrial noise (0.5% of the population) 2. There are no figures on the share of the population exposed to noise levels of Lnight >45 dB(A). Data can only be provided on pollution levels above 50 dB(A) caused by road, rail and air traffic noise. These figures should not be added together to avoid multiple counting. Lnight >50 dB(A) • 136,000 people affected by road traffic noise (20% of the population) • 22,700 people affected by rail traffic noise (3% of the population) • 400 people affected by air traffic noise (
Noise reduction plans – Noise Action Plan, sub-plan road traffic, Darmstadt
administrative region (including Frankfurt and Wiesbaden conurbations)
from 2010
The current Noise Action Plan from 2010 contains various measures to reduce
road traffic-induced noise pollution:
• City-wide noise reduction measures which set out to avoid traffic or to divert
vehicle traffic to other forms of transport
• Residential and mixed development areas
• Encouraging the independence of children in traffic (avoiding being
taken to school in their parents’ cars)
• Pooling lorry traffic (home deliveries)
• Encouraging cycling (construction of B+R facilities, bicycle hire
service, allowing cyclists to ride both ways along one-way streets,
improvement of the hubs, direct routing, finalising the route system)
• Mobility counselling (at schools, businesses)
• Encouraging walking (direct above-ground pedestrian routes,
pedestrian friendly traffic light sequences, promotion of child-friendly
mobility structures)
• Encouraging the use of local transport (expansion, higher speeds,
simplification of the tariff system, mobile phone ticket)
• Reducing individual motorised transport
• The Noise Action Plan proposes clearly stipulated measures for specific
areas, including the project to reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h on main
traffic routes at night.
• In many city districts, a better surface between tramlines is needed. Paving
stones were previously used, generating a high level of noise. Replacing
them by asphalt has led to a substantial reduction in noise in two areas.
There are plans for to extend this throughout the city.
Many of these measures are also included in the clean air and general traffic
plans.
For further details, see “Local transport” and “Quality of local ambient air”.
Question 2 Details of targets achieved or not to date (within the last 5-10 years). Provide a
(max. 800 words) review of how both situations occurred and lessons learned.
One of Frankfurt’s objectives is to reduce noise pollution so as to maintain and
improve the city’s residential quality. A number of measures have therefore
already been completed, while others are being implemented at present. The
main emphasis is on reducing night-time noise.
Road traffic noise
A particular focus of noise-reduction measures has been the use of low-noise
road surfaces in the city. A newly developed road surface – LOA-5-D – is
currently being used in three areas. The noise reduction impact is expected to be
above 5 dB(A). An accompanying study is linked to these projects, its aim being
to clarify whether the noise reduction impact can be sustained. If positive
conclusions are reached, LOA-5-D will be the standard road surface laid.
In the bicycle strategy concluded in 2003, the share of bicycle traffic was to be
increased to 15% by 2012. This target has already been achieved. Every journey
made by bicycle rather than by car results in less noise in the city.Rail noise The municipal noise abatement plan successfully had 18.2 km of rail routes in the city area included in the German Government’s Rail Noise Abatement Programme. Rail routes in the Sachsenhausen district were upgraded. Work is currently under way to reduce noise on a railway bridge. To date 8.6 km of rail routes have been upgraded, involving passive noise protection measures (soundproof windows) and active noise protection measures (noise reduction walls and speed restrictions). Aircraft noise In view of the airport expansion and the concomitant increase in air traffic, advantage must be taken of every opportunity to reduce aircraft noise around Frankfurt Airport. This is the mandate of the “Airport and Region” forum established by the Hessian State Government in 2008. Experts from politics, administration and the aviation industry develop specific ways of reducing aircraft noise pollution in the region. The city of Frankfurt is very active in the forum. The forum’s objective is to implement a package of active noise abatement measures. The first results were presented in 2010. Seven measures in the pilot stage set out to provide relief for as many people as possible and to keep the additional pollution caused by the airport extension to a minimum. Measures to reduce aircraft noise pollution: 1. Vertical optimisation of take-off procedures: Noise is reduced by increasing the distance to the noise source. If a speed limit of 400 km/h is imposed over the first 11 km from the take-off point, the aircraft gains altitude faster. 2. Modification of Lufthansa’s Boeing 737 fleet: By the end of 2011 Lufthansa will have modified its 26 B737s based in Frankfurt so that they produce less noise on take-off and landing. 3. Increasing the tailwind component: Planes arrive and depart in two directions, taking off and landing against the wind. For operating direction West 25 (westerly wind), a tailwind component of 5 knots (some 8 km/h) is prescribed. This means that if there is little easterly wind is, operating direction 25 will be maintained and the planes land and take off with a slight tailwind. Efforts are being made to increase the share of operating direction 25 in two stages so as to provide relief for municipalities affected by low-flying incoming aircraft. 4. New approach procedure (segmented approach): In-coming aircraft normally fly the final 21 km in a straight line to the runway. This measure specifies satellite-controlled approach procedures, in which all approaching aircraft will first be guided south of the runway centre line and only turn in to it 9.3 km before touching down. The measure will allow aircraft to fly round city centres. 5. Dedicated runway operations: Rotation and restricted use of night-time departures will ensure noise breaks. Different departure routes will be used on even and uneven dates. 6. Optimisation of the Continuous Descent Approach (CDA): In the CDA, engine power is reduced substantially and aircraft almost glide in to landing from a considerable height. This saves fuel and reduces noise. The CDA is used at Frankfurt Airport between 23.00 and 5.00. The CDA procedure is being extended and improved as part of the noise abatement package.
7. Increasing the approach glide angle to 3.2°: This measure applies to
landing on the new runway. Currently, aircraft descend at an angle of 3°. If
this angle is increased, the aircraft approach more steeply, thus increasing
the distance to residential areas and reducing noise pollution. For security
reasons, steeper angles can only be used in good weather and when there is
no tailwind. Two instrument landing systems (3° and 3.2°) will therefore be
installed on the new runway.
Further Information
Website “Nachbar Flughafen”
Question 3 Plans to meet or revise key targets for the future and the proposed approach to
(max. 800 words) achieve these.
The city of Frankfurt has a long tradition of dealing with the topic of noise.
A municipal noise abatement plan was established before the European
Environmental Noise Directive was implemented in German law.
To reduce the number of people suffering from noise pollution in Frankfurt am
Main, the city authorities have been pursuing a district-level noise abatement
plan since 2001. The municipal plan is more detailed than Hesse’s noise
mapping and noise action plan. Public involvement is a key element in the plan,
which is geared to noise problems actually encountered.
An important feature is the observation of all sources of noise in the city districts
as combinations of different noise sources are particularly problematic.
The objective is not merely to assess technical aspects of noise problems using
noise calculation and emission limit values but to understand how people feel
about noise and to develop solutions.
From 2001 to 2006 Noise Abatement Plan Round Tables were held in the
city districts and the results presented to the political bodies concerned and at
public meetings.The first stage in the municipal noise abatement plan is to be completed in 2012.
Previous noise reduction work will be fed into a final project and expanded into an
overall concept. Road traffic and local rail traffic noise (underground trains and
trams) is being addressed. An area-wide noise map enables a list of priorities to
be drawn up with (current and outstanding) proposals for measures. This is
intended to help with municipal budget planning and establishing priorities for
city-wide measures. The chosen procedure also provides information for the
general public. PR work focuses on an interactive website.
As soon as information on the impact of the measures and the cost of
implementation is available, specific targets that comply with budget constraints
can be formulated.
Experience with the municipal noise abatement plan has shown how extremely
important it is to include advance information about noise protection in
administrative and approval procedures (Road Department, Deutsche Bahn).
The following measures are scheduled for implementation in the next few years:
• Noise abatement on roads and bridges
• 30 km/h night-time speed restriction on main thoroughfares
• Replacing the surface between tramlines in the city area with asphalt
• Converting crossroads into roundabouts to regulate the traffic flow
• Building a circular tram line, opening new underground and tram lines
(8, 9 and 18)
• Use of low-noise trams along the Offenbacher Landstrasse
• Provision of a local bus service in the Oberrad city district
• Restructuring and enhancement of traffic areas, general overhaul,
central islands established, lane narrowing
• “Noise meter” speed indicators (pilot project)
• Improved traffic lights
• Traffic checks
• Ramp metering
• Passive noise abatement
• Enclosing an urban motorway section to reduce noise and to create new
housing areas and green spaces
To reduce traffic-induced noise pollution even further, the city requires the
support of the state and national governments:
• Speed limits of 100 km/h (cars) and 80 km/h (lorries) on national motorways
in the conurbation
• Whispering asphalt used on national motorways in the urban area
For further details, see “Local transport” and “Quality of local ambient air”.
Aircraft noise
The first package of active noise abatement measures at Frankfurt Airport was an
important step towards reducing aircraft noise. Medium and long-term noise
reduction plans are being pursued and the effect of noise on health is being
studied. A second package of measures is currently giving priority to the following
issues:• Route optimisation: The current take-off routes were established more than
30 years ago, using the planning options then available, in order to generate
“minimum noise” for the housing areas existing at that time. There have since
been considerable developments throughout the region. The routes are to be
optimised on the basis of the present housing areas and future plans.
• Approach route optimisation: New – largely still experimental – procedures
for controllers to guide approaching aircraft vertically and horizontally are
being tested.
• Ground noise reduction: The noise produced by taxiing aircraft is to be
reduced by towing procedures. Ground generators are to supply the aircraft
with electricity and air conditioning.
• Incentive models: Current noise and pollutant-related charges applied in
Frankfurt are to be developed further, as is the promotion of aeronautical
research projects. An important goal is to establish an incentive model which
rewards flight performance, encourages technical improvements and fleet
innovations and penalises obsolete aircraft equipment.
Reducing noise pollution not only lowers health risks but makes the reduced-
noise city more liveable. Economic activity and essential mobility are to be
harmonised more extensively with attractive, healthy living conditions. In
Frankfurt, intensive interdepartmental work is being carried out on noise
abatement as a key issue for a sustainable, future fit city.You can also read
