A 600-metre-long noise barrier close to the village of
North Muskham, near Newark, is the latest structure to
be installed as part of the scheme. The
three-metre-high barrier has been adopted by the local
community after villagers decided to plant 150 shrubs
in front of it.
North Muskham Parish Council Chair, Ian Harrison said:
The residents in North Muskham have been pressing for
this for some years. The completion provides a real
difference to the volume of A1 traffic noise
experienced especially by nearby residents.
Some residents also requested that foliage be
replanted to provide better aesthetic views and an
environment for birds and other wildlife so the
parish council made the request and we are grateful
for the positive response.
Highways England has a £39 million special fund to
reduce noise levels for people living close to
motorways and major A roads, which includes installing
noise barriers in areas where they are likely to have a
significant benefit for local communities.
The organisation has also installed free double glazing
at more than 600 homes, and laid quieter surfacing on
over 6,000 miles of lanes on motorways and major A
roads since 2015 – equivalent to resurfacing the entire
M6 three times over.
Quieter surfacing is now installed as standard wherever
possible on the roads managed by Highways England. The
smoother and thinner top layer can help make roads
significantly quieter than traditional road surfaces.
Ian Holmes, Principal Noise Advisor at Highways
England, said:
Around four million drivers travel on our roads every
day but they impact many millions more – whether
that’s businesses relying on long-distance deliveries
or families in opposite ends of the country being
able to get together for special occasions.
Our roads also have an impact on the people who live
near them and I’m pleased we’ve been able to reduce
traffic noise levels for over 40,000 roadside
residents since 2015 as part of our noise reduction
schemes.
It’s great to see that the new noise barrier we’ve
installed in North Muskham in Nottinghamshire is
proving popular with residents, and I’m sure the new
shrubs they’ve planted will help make it pretty as
well as practical.
Last year Highways England won the ‘Silent Approach’
category at the Noise Abatement Society’s annual awards
ceremony in London for its work to reduce noise levels
for over 40,000 roadside residents since 2015.
The awards recognise organisations which are judged to
have been outstanding in their efforts to both reduce
the impact of noise and seek to pioneer practical and
innovative solutions.
