New very low noise surface laid on A413 Wendover bypass is ‘quieter than expected’

Mark Shaw surveys the very low noise surface laid on the A413 Wendover bypass. (Image supplied by Buckinghamshire County Council)

The new ‘very low noise surface’ that was laid on the A413 Wendover bypass in October 2019 has turned out to be ‘quieter than expected’.

Following the re-surfacing of the bypass with a ‘very low noise surface’ the noise levels have reduced by 5.2 dB (decibels) which is nearly one decibel quieter than predicted.

The results are the outcome of noise measurement monitoring commissioned in November 2019 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 however this has been cut to a little over 70 dB.

The ‘very low noise surface’, which has a life expectancy of ten years, 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 which costing £1.51m and was paid for by HS2 Ltd.

Mark Shaw, Deputy Leader and Transport Cabinet Member at Buckinghamshire County Council, 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.‘

*Source of article : Press release from Buckinghamshire County Council.