Noise action planning
The development of noise action plans is based on Directive 2002/49/EC (EU Environmental Noise Directive), which was transposed into German law in 2005 by amending the Act on Protection against Harmful Environmental Impacts from Air Pollution, Noise, Vibration and Similar Phenomena (Federal Immission Control Act - BImSchG). Since then, the regulations on this can be found in Sections 47 a to 47 f BImSchG. The main tasks under the EU Environmental Noise Directive are the determination of pollution levels by means of strategic noise maps (Section 47 c BImSchG) and the reduction and avoidance of environmental noise through noise action plans (Section 47 d BImSchG).
In North Rhine-Westphalia, the preparation of noise action plans has been passed on to the local authorities as a mandatory task. Responsibility for drawing up noise action plans for railway lines has been transferred to the Federal Railway Authority. The process, which began in 2007, has so far taken place in 4 rounds. The noise action plans are to be updated every 5 years. Round 4 was adopted by the Beckum City Council on 2 July 2024. The noise action plan subsequently came into force.