The value of quiet areas in providing respite from traffic noise

Prolonged exposure to unacceptable levels of noise is associated with a wide range of adverse impacts on human health, public amenity, productivity and ecosystems. As transport demand and development increases there is an associated reduction in the availability of areas that are perceived to be quiet or tranquil. The beneficial effects of access to quiet areas are not well understood. Critically there is a dearth of evidence on the value of benefits derived from quiet or green areas that offer a respite from traffic noise. Here we review the available evidence and propose a framework to assess the benefits that people derive from quiet areas and conversely the costs of loss of access to such areas. This requires a value to be placed on how residents, workers and visitors value publicly accessible quiet areas.