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Whether it be loud music, church bells or children’s playgrounds – disputes about noise in neighbourhoods regularly hit the headlines, and next week communities across the UK will have the chance to chat to local specialists for sound advice on reducing noise.

Noise Action Week is co-ordinated annually by Environmental Protection UK, and gives all those involved in noise management an opportunity to promote cost effective, practical solutions, and raise awareness of services available to tackle noise. For many neighbourhood noise problems - from early morning dogs and DIY to late night music - simple, cost effective solutions are available. Simply by being more considerate neighbours we can often quieten things down. Where noise is a serious problem, local specialists have the knowledge and powers to sort them out.

Every year, thousands of complaints keep local authorities and housing providers busy:

• In 2011 a Which? Survey found that noise is the top neighbour complaint, and disturbs the sleep of four in ten
• Last August the BBC found a massive rise in noise complaints in London
• A 2009 survey found that a third of people questioned became stressed due to traffic noise and over 90% of people wanted to protect quiet areas.

During Noise Action Week :

• Housing providers including Erimus and Tees Valley in the North East, Guiness South and South Liverpool Homes will be handing out advice
• Mock up homes are being used by Stafford Council, and Maidstone Council – where they can chat to residents and give advice
• Fife Council in Scotland, North Lincolnshire and Tendring in Essex, and Bracknell Forest are sounding out schools to educate on noise
• In Caerphilly, Lewisham and Colchester noise officers will be out giving advice to residents
• East Staffs Council are survey residents to find their favourite peaceful places

Mary Stevens, Noise Action Week co-ordinator said, ‘Noise places a huge cost on our society – whether it be disturbing sleep and work, interfering with our peace at home or the call on anti social behaviour teams and local authority noise services when problems escalate. We’ve all felt the effects of noise pollution - whether it’s a neighbour’s barking dog or car radios blaring and aggressive driving in residential streets; noise is one of the biggest issues affecting our neighbourhoods. During Noise Action Week EPUK is encouraging communities to consider the impacts of noise in their area and the simple ways we can all contribute to making our neighbourhoods quieter and healthier.’
Information on reducing noise is on the Noise Action Week website www.noiseactionweek.org.uk/about/12-2

To find out about noise in your area – see the events listed on our website or get in touch for a full list of events notified to date; and ask the local authority noise team; housing providers; mediation service - in your area how noise is being tackled in local neighbourhoods.

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