Rail Noise Night Levels in England from Strategic Noise Mapping

Strategic noise mapping from 2017 models night-time rail noise across England's major population centers and key rail routes. Lnight values represent annual average noise levels between 11 PM and 7 AM, modeled on a 10-meter grid at a height of 4 meters. This dataset was produced by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to meet the requirements of the Environmental Noise Directive.

Use Cases

• Assess population exposure to rail noise based on modeled Lnight levels.
• Identify areas exceeding specific noise thresholds for policy intervention based on the defined noise classes (e.g., 70.0+ dB).
• Model noise propagation from rail sources along Network Rail and HS1 traffic routes.
• Support environmental impact assessments for new rail infrastructure projects.

Strengths

• Data is modeled on a detailed 10-meter grid, providing high spatial granularity.
• Noise levels are categorized into specific classes (e.g., 50-54.9 dB, 55.0-59.9 dB) for clear analysis.
• Covers major English agglomerations (areas with at least 100,000 people) and key national rail routes.

Limitations

• Row count and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data is from a 2017 modeling exercise; freshness should be verified for current applications.

Provenance

Source

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Collection Method

Modeled strategic noise mapping analysis.

Time Range

2017

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-29 22:06:20.539823; freshness should be verified.

Geography

England, specifically agglomerations with populations over 100,000 and along Network Rail and HS1 routes.