Road Noise - harmful to human health.
Dear Welsh Government,
In 2009, the Department for the Economy and Transport published Circular No: 24/2009, "Setting Local Speed Limits in Wales". Unfortunately, the highways Authority for the Vale of Glamorgan didn't manage to read as far as page 2, on which it is written, "Highway authorities are asked to review the speed limits on all of their A and B roads, and implement any necessary changes, by 31st December 2014 in accordance with this guidance." In fact, in 2018, the Highways Authority was insisting that guidance required that the speed limit through the Village of Bonvilston is set correctly at 40mph.
When conceding that the guidance when applied to Bonvilston does mean that Bonvilsotn should have a speed limit of 30mph, they did acknowledge that I had read the guidance. It's a shame they hadn't as they spend many years misinforming the many residents who wrote to them complaining about the speed limit and level of road noise...
In 2013, the Welsh Government's Noise and Soundscape Action Plan was published. Bonvilston was identified as an area suffering road noise pollution that's harmful to human health and made a Priority Area for action to address this public health issue. In 2018, a revised plan was published, and Bonvilston and St Nicholas were identified as suffering noise levels that are harmful to human health.
The Vale of Glamorgan Council insist that there is no money for a TRO or safety audit to correct the speed limit through Bonvilston to 30mph. They have also claimed that simply reducing the speed limit could result in an increases of KSI collisions - although there seems to be no evidence to support this claim!
In the financial years 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 what funding has been made available by the Welsh Government that could be used for the purpose of:
-- Tacking road noise pollution
-- Correcting/reducing speed limits on major roads
As well as the total amount of money available, I would like details of any applications made by the Vale of Glamorgan Council to these sources of finance.
What legal obligations does a Highways Authority have in Wales to ensure that speed limits are set correctly, and that road noise levels are not harmful to human health?
Welsh Government money was used for highway improvements to the A4226, between Barry and Sycamore Cross. Why is there no soundscape forecast/plan for this road project? The new road has resulted in more traffic, particularly heavy vehicles, traveling through St Nicholas and Bonvilston, making the situation worse. Did the project to build this road, investigate and consider the lawfulness and impact of increasing traffic (and harmful road noise) on the A48?
Yours faithfully,
Ian Perry
Gweler gohebiaeth ynghylch eich cais am wybodaeth. Cyfeiriwch unrhyw
atebion at: [1]RhyddidGwyb.EconomiaThrafnidiaeth@llyw.cymru
Please find attached correspondence regarding your request for
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Uned Busnes y Llywodraeth / Government Business Unit
Adran yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth / Department for Economy and Transport
Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government
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Gweler gohebiaeth ynghylch eich cais am wybodaeth. Cyfeiriwch unrhyw
atebion at: [1]RhyddidGwyb.EconomiaThrafnidiaeth@llyw.cymru
Please find attached correspondence regarding your request for
information. Please direct any replies to
[2]FOI.EconomyandTransport@gov.wales
Cofion/Regards,
Uned Busnes y Llywodraeth / Government Business Unit
Adran yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth / Department for Economy and Transport
Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government
Sganiwyd y neges hon am bob feirws hysbys wrth iddi adael Llywodraeth
Cymru. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cymryd o ddifrif yr angen i ddiogelu eich
data. Os cysylltwch â Llywodraeth Cymru, mae ein [3]hysbysiad preifatrwydd
yn esbonio sut rydym yn defnyddio eich gwybodaeth a sut rydym yn diogelu
eich preifatrwydd. Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg. Byddwn yn
anfon ateb yn Gymraeg i ohebiaeth a dderbynnir yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd
gohebu yn Gymraeg yn arwain at oedi. On leaving the Welsh Government this
email was scanned for all known viruses. The Welsh Government takes the
protection of your data seriously. If you contact the Welsh Government
then our [4]Privacy Notice explains how we use your information and the
ways in which we protect your privacy. We welcome receiving correspondence
in Welsh. Any correspondence received in Welsh will be answered in Welsh
and corresponding in Welsh will not lead to a delay in responding.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:RhyddidGwyb.EconomiaThrafnidiaeth@llyw.cymru
2. mailto:FOI.EconomyandTransport@gov.wales
3. file:///tmp/”https:/gov.wales/about/welsh-government-privacy-notice/?lang=cy”
4. https://gov.wales/about/welsh-government...
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