No sound barriers to tackle A12 noise problem (From Brentwood Weekly News)
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No sound barriers to tackle A12 noise problem
7:30am Monday 22nd October 2012 in News
EXTRA sound barriers will not be put up on a stretch of the A12 in Brentwood, despite residents’ complaints.
The Highways Agency has decided noise barriers are not required for parts of the A12 which run close to residential areas of Brentwood including Selwood Road and Talkbrook.
This decision comes after two years of campaigning from Lib Dem councillors Karen Chilvers and David Kendall, along with residents.
Noise levels rose along sections of the road after work was done a few years ago when parts of it were raised, leading to complaints from people living nearby.
However, despite handing the agency a petition signed by many residents, it has been decided barriers will not be installed, causing campaigners to react angrily.
Miss Chilvers said: “It is now abundantly clear the department were just playing us for mugs. The promised consultation was nothing more than a paper exercise and it wasn’t actually prepared to do anything from the start.”
Campaigners have condemned the consultation, claiming no site visits were made by the agency, nor any scientific measures used to determine what the noise levels along the road are like.
Mr Kendall, leader of the Lib Dem group at Brentwood Council, said he was “surprised” with the decision.
He said: “All this time we have been waiting to find out what options residents would be offered to help try to reduce the noise.
“Now the Highways Agency says the noise isn’t bad enough and we aren’t going to get anything.”
The agency said it believed the measures already in identified areas are “good enough”.
A spokeswoman said: “Our initial investigations for the areas identified close to Brentwood have concluded a number of noise reducing measures are already in place, such as low noise surfacing.
“No further noise reducing measures are to be proposed at this location in the near future.
“Our findings have been sent to the local authority.”
