The Acoustic Map indicates that the main focus of noise in Benidorm is traffic, although "far below" the usual in similar cities

The Acoustic Map commissioned by Benidorm City Council to a consulting firm concludes that road traffic is the main source of noise in the city, both in high season and low season. Of course, he maintains that the levels detected in Benidorm "are far below the usual results in Spanish cities." This document has been presented today in the Mobility Advisory Council, which has given its approval to the Acoustic Map that, once the period for collecting proposals and suggestions has finished, must be fully voted before proceeding to the drafting of the Action Plan against Noise.

The councillor of Mobility, José Ramón González de Zárate, explained that "this acoustic map has allowed us to know what incidence on citizens has noise from the TRAM and leisure, and place on the map of Benidorm what the most affected areas are and where there is a population that coexists with sound levels above the acoustic quality objectives set by regulations ". "With this diagnosis, we now have the keys to develop an Action Plan that includes the measures to be adopted to reduce this condition."

De Zárate has detailed that to draw the Acoustic Map the slots of morning, afternoon and evening in high and low season have been analyzed. According to the results of the study, the percentage of people affected by traffic noise higher than recommended ranges goes from a maximum of 6.6% - during the night in high season - to 0.8% - evening hours in the four months of low season-.

"These percentages are much lower than those that occur on average in most of the Spanish cities with a population and an activity similar to Benidorm, where you reach levels of impact higher than 20% in the night period," said the councillor citing the Acoustic Map. In fact, and according to the data collected by the consultant, cities such as Valencia or A Coruña register much higher percentages. "In any case, and although the situation in Benidorm is much more favorable than in the whole nation, we want to take measures to further reduce these percentages, mainly in the areas where the conditions are concentrated," he added.

Specifically, the Acoustic Map indicates that "the neighborhoods with the greatest number of people affected by traffic noise" are "Ensanche de Casco and Foietes-Colonia Madrid-Beniardá, with 75% of the total action". In both areas, the condition is caused by traffic in Beniardá and Jaime I Avenues. On the contrary, the "quieter" neighborhoods are La Cala, el Casco Tradicional, el Polígono Primavera and Ciudad Jardín.

De Zárate has announced that one of the measures that could be included in the Program of Actions to reduce noise pollution on Beniardá Avenue could be "that we place a new asphalt prepared to emit less noise, and that has already been used in other cities" .

Acoustic pollution for leisure

The document presented today also includes a study on noise pollution produced by the activity of restaurants and entertainment venues, in the three areas where there is a greater concentration of this type of establishment: area of ​​'Los Vascos', Playa de Levante and Gerona street. According to the Acoustic Map, "the percentages of people affected by leisure noise compared to the global population do not reach 0.5%". However, he added that "most complaints and complaints by citizens for noise pollution (...) come from hospitality and leisure activities" so that "in the future Action Program will include management tools and control of this type of acoustic emitters ".