Denbighshire County Council have agreed to consider the surfacing material used on the Rhuddlan bypass when it is time to resurface the road, after Vale of Clwyd MP raised concerns about noise levels.
James has been pushing for a noise-reducing surface on the bypass after carrying out a survey of residents living in the immediate vicinity.
He received 156 responses, all highlighting the detrimental effect the noise is having on residents.
The information collected suggested that whilst the traffic noise is constant throughout the day, it worsens during rush hour and when the wind is blowing from a westerly direction. Residents feel particularly aggrieved during summer months when they wish to have their windows open and sit in their garden.
James reported his findings to Denbighshire Council, who consequently reviewed vehicle speed and noise monitoring data for the route and responded “there is no justification for a lower speed limit or any remedial measures at this time”.
He then pursued the matter further with the Chief Executive, Graham Boase, and today has received a response from the council stating “we will obviously consider the resurfacing material that we use here when it is time to resurface the road”.
Although this is unlikely to be for at least the next five years, it provides hope that the issue will be addressed in the medium term.
Rhuddlan County Councillor Ann Davies has also long campaigned for noise reduction measures on the bypass and in 2018 and 2021 Denbighshire County Council carried out noise surveys on the road at her request.
James said:
“I appreciate that this does not solve the problem now, but it does offer hope for the future.
“When I first approached Denbighshire County Council about this, the outlook for anything positive being done at all was grim.
“The council reviewed vehicle speed and noise monitoring data for the route and concluded that there was insufficient justification for any remedial measures such as sound barriers at this time. They also believed that a lower speed limit would be difficult to enforce and ineffective.
“I therefore raised my concerns directly with Graham Boase, Chief Executive of Denbighshire County Council, emphasising that, although the noise thresholds may not have been exceeded, if many people are affected, then the cumulative impact is great.
“The council then looked into resurfacing costs, which range in the region of £475,000 - £500,000. The council said considering the current surface is still perfectly adequate, they “could not justify committing to £500,000 of our limited capital budget to undertake this work”, which I reluctantly accept.
“The council have said that when the road does require resurfacing, they can use noise reducing materials, the additional cost of which would be negligible.
“This is far from an ideal outcome, and, like the residents, I would prefer that something be done about the problem sooner. However, on the assumption that the council cannot locate significant funding in the short term, today’s outcome offers hope for the future.”
Cllr Davies added:
"In 2018 I asked Denbighshire County Council to carry out a noise survey and again in 2021, the correlation of results show an increase between the two surveys carried out. Residents claim they cannot enjoy sitting in their gardens and are unable to open their windows due to the noise from the bypass, in turn this is affecting their wellbeing. They say it's akin to Manchester airport during peak traffic times.
"Whilst I welcome news that the council is now going to consider using noise reducing materials when they next resurface the road, I will continue to press for an earlier resolution to this problem."
