Dozens of demonstrators protested this morning along the A1 near Naarden against the proposed felling of thousands of trees, which the city council has agreed to. Those trees must give way to make way for a sound barrier, which must protect residents of the Naarden district of Naarderbos against noise nuisance.
The noise nuisance is not new: since the A1 between the Muiderberg and Diemen interchanges has been widened, traffic is less often stuck in traffic jams. The cars not only race faster, but also pass the neighborhood with much more. Despite the use of quieter asphalt, residents go crazy with traffic whizzing along the lanes at 100 or 120 km/h.
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“We notice that we have more noise nuisance due to the improved flow,” says local resident and advocate Pieter de Boer in front of the NH News camera. It regularly measures 63 decibels, and at peak times even 80 decibels, which means that the standard is considerably exceeded.
There is already a natural wall with trees, but because of the limited height, since the widening of the A1 (and the higher speeds), it does not sufficiently stop the noise.
Noise barrier at Bussum
A little further on, near Bussum, there is already a noise barrier on both sides of the highway, but that barrier also does not have the desired effect: Bussumers are still complaining about noise nuisance. Although Rijkswaterstaat has offered to build the same type of embankment near Naarderbos, residents are not keen on this because the noise nuisance will not disappear.
Muiderberg
In 2016 there was already pulled the bell by residents of Muiderberg. In that year the A1 was widened and a railway bridge was built over the highway. This already caused more noise nuisance for local residents. This widening has not only led to more motorists using the A1, but also that they drive faster on average (due to the decrease in traffic jams), which results in more decibels.
According to the residents, a longer noise barrier of ten meters high is sufficient, but it would be so expensive that the municipality does not want to pay for it. By incorporating solar panels into the sound wall, the wall helps with the energy transition and the municipality can earn back the construction.
Natura 2000 area
The Party for the Animals and conservationists from the region do not like the ten-metre-high wall. “This area borders a Natura 2000 area and is home to various protected animal species,” said Ilona Haas, candidate member of the Party for the Animals.
Because of the consequences for nature, Haas does not expect the province to give the green light for the construction of the wall. In order to reduce noise nuisance, the party prefers to see the maximum speed on the stretch of highway lowered.
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Protest against tree felling along the A1 near Naarden for the construction of a high noise barrier – NH News
According to resident of Naarderbos Pieter de Boer, the consequences for nature are not too bad. “For every tree that dies, something replaces it”, with which he emphasizes that lost nature is compensated for elsewhere. Moreover, many more residents will benefit from the higher noise barrier than the activists say. “It is said that it concerns 37 households, but it concerns 200 homes in this district that are affected by this.”
He believes that we should look at the future in a different way. “I think this is an opportunity for the neighborhood to make a fresh start. This is better for the environment in the long run.”