Directive 2002/49/EC: historical overview, aims and main features
Strategic noise mapping
The strategic noise mapping asked Member States to draw up a map designed for the global assessment of noise exposure due to the different noise sources or the overall noise levels.
These maps were to be drawn up:
| by 2007 | by 2012 | |
| agglomerations | > 250 000 inhabitants | > 100 000 inhabitants |
| major roads | > six million vehicle passages/year | > three million vehicle passages/year |
| railways | > 60 000 train passages/year | > 30 000 train passages/year |
| civil airports | > 50 000 take-offs or landings/year | not required (Article 7(2)) |
The strategic noise mappings had to be established by 2007, approved by the competent national authorities and updated at least every five years. They had to indicate:
- the (existing, previous or predicted) noise situation in the area
- the exceeding of a limit value (where such a limit value existed)
- the estimated number of dwellings, schools and hospitals in the area that is exposed to the noise levels
- the estimated number of people located in the area covered by the noise map