Wendover 'noise reduction' surface 'quieter than expected'

The specialist 'very low noise surface' laid on Wendover bypass in October is quieter than engineers expected.
Mark Shaw at the Wendover bypassMark Shaw at the Wendover bypass
Mark Shaw at the Wendover bypass

The specialist 'very low noise surface' laid on Wendover bypass in October is quieter than engineers expected. Road noise levels have reduced by 5.2 dB (decibels) - nearly one decibel quieter than predicted.

The results are the outcome of noise measurement monitoring commissioned last month by Buckinghamshire County Council to compare road noise of the new surface with the old surface.

Monitoring involved hourly surveys at a public bridleway running parallel to the A413. Before the new surface was laid along a mile of the bypass, levels averaged 76.2 dB, but this has been cut to a little over 70 dB.

The 'very low noise surface' was one of four options from which the county council invited Wendover to choose as a way to mitigate noise made by HS2 construction lorries when work starts on building the high speed railway past the village.

Of the 750 responses 78% preferred a 'very low noise' surface, costing £1.51 million and paid for by HS2 Ltd.

One of the four options, a noise barrier up to 13ft (4m) high in three sections along half a mile of the bypass, was preferred by seven per cent.

Mark Shaw, Deputy Leader and Transport Cabinet Member, said: "I recognised residents had differing views on how to reduce noise from HS2 construction traffic, which is why we asked them to let us know their preferences for the type of scheme.

"Now we've delivered on their choice, I'm delighted that the noise monitoring survey has shown such a significant reduction in noise levels."

The life-expectancy of the new surface is 10 years.

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