Rail Noise Lnight Levels Across England, Modeled on a 10m Grid

2012 strategic noise mapping data indicates night-time annual average noise levels (Lnight) from rail sources in England. Noise levels are modeled on a 10m grid at a receptor height of 4m above ground and aggregated into polygons for areas with populations over 100,000 and along Network Rail and HS1 routes. This data was produced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to meet the requirements of the Environmental Noise Directive.

Use Cases

• Assess population exposure to rail noise pollution based on the modeled Lnight noise classes.
• Model the spatial distribution of noise levels for environmental impact studies based on the 10m grid data.
• Analyze compliance with the Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) using the strategic noise mapping results.
• Visualize noise pollution polygons for public communication and planning purposes.

Strengths

• Data is modeled on a detailed 10m grid, providing high spatial granularity.
• Noise levels are classified into specific decibel bands (e.g., 70.0+ dB, 65.0-69.9 dB).
• Covers major population centers (agglomerations over 100,000 people) and key rail routes (Network Rail, HS1).

Limitations

• Data is from a single year (2012), limiting analysis of recent trends.
• Row count and specific column-level documentation are unknown, requiring manual inspection after download.
• Noise levels are modeled outputs, not direct measurements, which may introduce inaccuracies.

Provenance

Source

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Collection Method

Modeled strategic noise mapping analysis.

Time Range

2012

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-29 22:06:19.338396; freshness should be verified.

Geography

England