article_detail

If you live near a busy railway line, you might already know what it’s like to be woken by the early morning trains; or struggle to nod off when the last one rumbles through. Now, Spain’s Ministry of Transport wants to find out just how disruptive that constant hum really is.

 

A new national study will look into whether noise from major train routes is causing what officials call “intense annoyance” or “serious sleep disturbance” in affected areas. The research will focus on parts of Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga, Bilbao, Oviedo, Santander, Gipuzkoa, and Palencia.

 

According to the Official State Gazette (BOE), the plan forms part of Phase IV of the government’s Action Plans against Noise. It targets rail sections that see more than 30,000 train movements a year, to pinpoint where sound levels exceed recommended limits.

 

In Madrid, routes leaving Atocha and Chamartín stations, such as towards Aranjuez, Puertollano, and El Escorial, are included. Over in Catalonia, the study will cover the line between Tarragona, Barcelona Sants, and Calella, along with others that pass through Sant Viçent de Calders and Sant Celoni. Valencia’s busy Nord station also features, with checks planned between Xàtiva and Castelló.

 

Further south, Andalucía will see noise assessments around Seville, Málaga, and Córdoba, while northern regions won’t be left out either. Investigations will take place in the Basque Country, Asturias, Cantabria, and Palencia, with lines such as Zumárraga-Lezo Rentería, Orduña-Santurtzi, and Santander-Torrelavega included.

 

Officials say the goal is simple: to “improve the quality of life for citizens” by understanding where railway noise might be affecting health. The study will measure both the number of people exposed and the potential impact of constant noise on wellbeing and sleep.

 

Public consultation is open for one month, giving residents and organisations a chance to share their views before steps are decided on how to reduce noise in the most affected areas.

 

 

Image: Gontzal Cepeda/Unsplash