The new Noise Protection Programme for the Malopolskie Voivodeship was adopted
On July 1 this year, the Malopolska Regional Assembly adopted a new Environmental Protection Program against noise for the Małopolska Province.
Goal
The main objective of the Programme for Environmental Protection against Noise for the Małopolskie Voivodeship is to reduce above-normal impact of noise and to maintain favourable acoustic conditions of the environment in areas where sound levels do not exceed permissible levels.
Programme development methodology
The current Programme is the first to be drawn up in the new formula after the amendment of the Environmental Protection Law (EPL) in 2019, which uses data from strategic noise maps based on the CNOSSOS-EU calculation methodology and health indicators determining the negative effects of being in noise.
Deadline and responsible entity
Pursuant to Article 119a(9) of the Environmental Protection Act, the environmental noise protection programme is adopted by the regional parliament every 5 years, by 18 July. From the current edition, all programmes are developed by the Marshal of the voivodship and adopted by the voivodship assembly. In previous editions, programmes for areas of cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants were developed by the mayor of the respective city and adopted by the city council. Programmes for the remaining areas were developed by the voivodeship Marshal and adopted by the voivodeship assembly.
Managers of main roads, main railways, main airports and mayors of cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants are responsible for the implementation of the tasks indicated in the Noise Protection Programme for the Malopolskie Voivodeship.
Scope
The programme for the protection of the environment against noise for the Małopolskie Voivodeship covers the area of:
cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants:
- the area of Kraków with an area of 326.84 km2,
- Tarnów city area with an area of 72.38 km2,
roads on which more than 3 million vehicles travel annually:
- the motorway section managed by Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska S.A. with a length of 35.22 km,
- sections of national roads, expressways and motorways managed by the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways with a total length of 738.43 km,
- sections of provincial roads managed by the Provincial Roads Management Board in Krakow with a total length of 401.07 km,
- a section of district road managed by the County Roads Authority in Brzesko with a total length of 1.47 km,
railway lines with an annual volume of over 30,000 trains:
- sections of railway lines managed by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. with a total length of 110.82 km,
civil airports with more than 50,000 operations (take-offs or landings) per year:
- the area of the Kraków-Balice International Airport together with its impact area of 26.3 km2.
Planned activities
In the Programme, the sources of corrective measures are the proposals identified at the stage of development of individual strategic noise maps and those indicated by the managers of individual tasks to be continued from the Programmes in force so far. An important source for the introduction of new measures are the notifications from the public, submitted directly to the Marshal as part of the consultations announced at the stage of accession to the development of the Programme, as well as by competent environmental authorities or directly to individual managers.
First, they were verified in terms of their location in the Programme area. Then it was analysed whether they were located in an area with exceedances according to the strategic noise maps and finally whether they were located in the priority areas of the Programme. On this basis, the type, nature and priority of measures were determined.
Measures for the Programme are qualified on the basis of the value of the indicator of significant noise nuisance in 10% of the unit areas (in the so-called priority areas) determined in accordance with the methodology indicated in the Executive Order and the guidelines of the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection.
Examples of actions
The measures introduced will include:
- changes to surfaces with better acoustic properties,
- construction of noise barriers,
- construction of bypasses,
- coordination of traffic lights
- preparation of acoustic analyses including concepts for acoustic protection solutions,
- studies on the feasibility of introducing speed restrictions.
Document
Resolution No. IV/24/24 of the Regional Assembly of the Malopolska Voivodeship of 1 July 2024 on the adoption of the Environmental Protection Program against noise for the Małopolska Region was published in the Public Information Bulletin of the Malopolska Voivodeship Marshal’s Office.
The development of environmental noise protection programmes is a task delegated to the provincial governments within the scope of government administration.
The task entitled: ‘Development of Environmental Protection Programme against Noise for the Małopolskie Voivodeship – stage II’ is co-financed by the Provincial Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Kraków. The eligible cost of the task is PLN 947,100. The subsidy amount is PLN 292 100.
