Brussels, 16/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission may well soon be taking action against noise from railway freight wagons. It has launched a public consultation, to run until 3 October, on this issue, to assess the appropriateness of revising current legislation.
The Commission would like to reduce noise pollution from freight wagons by 2020. This is not just about getting rid of the negative effects of noise on health but also about responding to the hostility displayed by citizens to rail traffic. The online consultation questionnaire is, therefore, addressed to all stakeholders, including NGOs, the rail industry and public authorities, as a means to evaluate the scale of the problem, assess measures that have already been taken and the appropriateness and impact of the options planned.
These options include subsidies for modernising freight wagons and noise limits that will need to be respected throughout the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The possible legislative changes focus on the directive (2012/34/EU) on the single railway area, TEN-T guidelines and the directive on environmental noise. An impact study will also be carried out before the Commission decides to take action on this issue. (MD/transl.fl)