Nuisance and Health Impacts of Railway Noise - Noise and Vibration Technical Advice (NOVITÀ) Project

The nuisance and health impact of railway noise preliminary study of the UIC Noise and Vibration Technical Advice (NOVITÀ) project aims to demonstrate that an understanding of the health effects of noise through high-quality research will support better-informed decision-making. This scoping study presents the nuisance effect of rail noise, its impact on human health in European railways and the next steps for the global railway community. The study provides evidence on this for UIC participation in European Commission meetings to inform funding and legislation decisions.

The study has found that there is an expanding evidence base on a variety of cardiovascular, metabolic and other critical outcomes and risk indicators associated with noise. The self-reported effects of noise on sleep and annoyance are two current key indicators for evaluating health outcomes and are relevant to health, policy and stakeholder engagement. Noise complaints from communities along railways are an active expression of dissatisfaction with the noise environment. A complaint may not always link directly to noise exposure but can be a function of the “arousal” effect - a conscious recognition of a change from an unusual noise stimulus.