NoiseCheck.uk

Motorway Noise

Major motorways are one of the biggest sources of environmental noise in the UK. Here's which postcode districts are affected by each motorway corridor.

🛣️ M25

59 postcodes affected · 58-68 dB range

DA1 61 dB DA2 61 dB DA3 61 dB DA4 61 dB DA5 61 dB BR5 61 dB BR6 61 dB TN14 60 dB TN15 60 dB TN16 60 dB CR5 61 dB CR6 61 dB SM7 61 dB KT18 59 dB KT20 59 dB KT21 59 dB KT22 59 dB KT24 59 dB GU1 61 dB GU2 61 dB GU3 61 dB GU4 61 dB GU5 61 dB GU21 63 dB GU22 63 dB GU24 63 dB GU25 63 dB SL0 61 dB SL2 62 dB SL3 61 dB SL9 61 dB HP9 61 dB WD3 61 dB WD4 61 dB WD5 61 dB WD6 61 dB WD7 62 dB WD17 67 dB WD18 67 dB WD19 67 dB WD23 67 dB WD24 67 dB WD25 67 dB EN6 61 dB EN7 61 dB EN8 61 dB EN9 61 dB EN10 67 dB CM13 58 dB CM14 58 dB CM15 58 dB RM1 61 dB RM14 62 dB RM15 62 dB RM16 62 dB RM17 62 dB RM18 62 dB RM19 62 dB RM20 62 dB

🛣️ M1

39 postcodes affected · 55-65 dB range

MK9 62 dB MK10 65 dB MK14 65 dB MK15 65 dB MK16 65 dB LU1 62 dB LU5 62 dB LU6 62 dB AL3 62 dB AL5 62 dB WD7 62 dB NW2 63 dB NW4 62 dB NW7 62 dB NW9 62 dB LE1 64 dB LE2 62 dB LE3 62 dB LE4 62 dB DE7 62 dB DE72 65 dB NG9 62 dB NG10 65 dB S1 63 dB S2 56 dB S8 56 dB S20 62 dB S21 62 dB WF1 62 dB WF2 62 dB LS1 71 dB LS2 69 dB LS3 62 dB LS6 62 dB LS7 62 dB LS10 65 dB LS11 65 dB LS12 65 dB LS27 65 dB

🛣️ M6

54 postcodes affected · 55-65 dB range

CV1 68 dB CV2 56 dB CV3 56 dB CV6 56 dB B6 61 dB B7 61 dB B8 61 dB B24 56 dB B35 56 dB WS1 56 dB WS2 56 dB WS3 56 dB WS5 56 dB WS6 56 dB WS11 59 dB WS12 59 dB WV1 56 dB WV2 56 dB WV10 59 dB WV11 59 dB ST1 56 dB ST4 56 dB ST5 56 dB ST15 59 dB ST16 59 dB ST17 59 dB ST18 59 dB CW1 56 dB CW2 56 dB WA1 56 dB WA2 56 dB WA3 56 dB WA4 56 dB WA5 56 dB WA7 56 dB WA12 59 dB WN1 56 dB WN2 56 dB WN3 56 dB WN4 56 dB WN5 56 dB WN6 56 dB PR1 56 dB PR4 56 dB PR5 56 dB LA1 56 dB LA2 56 dB LA6 56 dB LA7 56 dB CA1 34 dB CA2 34 dB CA3 34 dB CA4 34 dB CA6 34 dB

🛣️ M4

45 postcodes affected · 55-68 dB range

W4 66 dB W6 60 dB W12 55 dB W14 63 dB TW7 59 dB TW8 56 dB SL1 65 dB SL2 62 dB SL3 61 dB SL6 64 dB RG1 61 dB RG2 58 dB RG7 57 dB RG12 57 dB SN1 63 dB SN2 60 dB SN3 57 dB SN4 68 dB SN5 65 dB SN25 57 dB BS1 68 dB BS2 66 dB BS5 61 dB BS10 67 dB BS11 64 dB BS13 58 dB BS15 66 dB BS16 63 dB NP10 62 dB NP18 66 dB NP19 63 dB NP20 61 dB NP44 61 dB CF3 61 dB CF5 55 dB CF10 69 dB CF11 67 dB CF14 67 dB CF23 55 dB CF24 66 dB SA1 62 dB SA4 67 dB SA5 64 dB SA6 61 dB SA7 58 dB

🛣️ M62

67 postcodes affected · 55-65 dB range

L1 66 dB L2 64 dB L3 63 dB L4 63 dB L5 63 dB L6 63 dB L7 63 dB L8 63 dB L9 63 dB L10 55 dB L11 55 dB L12 55 dB L13 55 dB L14 55 dB L15 55 dB WA8 55 dB WA9 55 dB WA10 61 dB WA11 61 dB WN1 56 dB WN5 56 dB WN7 55 dB M27 59 dB M28 63 dB M29 58 dB M30 61 dB M41 55 dB M44 56 dB M46 64 dB OL1 55 dB OL2 55 dB OL4 55 dB OL9 55 dB OL10 60 dB OL11 60 dB HD1 55 dB HD2 55 dB HD3 55 dB HD4 55 dB HD5 55 dB HD6 55 dB BD1 55 dB BD3 55 dB BD4 55 dB BD5 55 dB BD6 55 dB BD10 65 dB BD12 65 dB BD19 65 dB WF1 62 dB WF2 62 dB WF3 55 dB WF4 55 dB WF5 55 dB WF10 61 dB LS1 71 dB LS11 65 dB LS12 65 dB LS26 62 dB LS27 65 dB HU1 55 dB HU2 55 dB HU3 55 dB HU5 55 dB HU9 55 dB HU10 57 dB HU13 57 dB

🛣️ M5

20 postcodes affected · 52-62 dB range

BS1 68 dB BS2 66 dB BS3 52 dB BS4 52 dB BS5 61 dB BS8 52 dB BS10 67 dB BS13 58 dB BS14 55 dB BS15 66 dB BS34 55 dB TA1 52 dB TA2 52 dB TA3 52 dB TA6 52 dB EX1 36 dB EX2 36 dB EX5 36 dB EX6 36 dB EX8 36 dB

🛣️ M40

17 postcodes affected · 52-62 dB range

HP10 52 dB HP11 52 dB HP12 52 dB HP13 52 dB HP14 52 dB HP15 52 dB OX9 61 dB OX33 53 dB OX44 53 dB CV8 61 dB CV31 58 dB CV32 58 dB CV33 58 dB CV34 58 dB CV35 58 dB B93 61 dB B94 61 dB

🛣️ M3

26 postcodes affected · 52-62 dB range

SW8 61 dB SW11 53 dB SW17 60 dB SW18 53 dB KT1 61 dB KT2 61 dB KT3 61 dB KT5 61 dB KT6 61 dB GU14 53 dB GU15 53 dB GU16 53 dB GU17 53 dB GU46 53 dB GU47 53 dB GU51 53 dB GU52 53 dB RG24 53 dB RG25 53 dB RG27 53 dB SO21 53 dB SO22 53 dB SO23 53 dB SO50 53 dB SO51 53 dB SO53 53 dB

🛣️ M60 / M56

44 postcodes affected · 55-65 dB range

M1 70 dB M2 68 dB M3 66 dB M4 66 dB M5 61 dB M6 56 dB M7 60 dB M8 64 dB M9 57 dB M11 56 dB M12 60 dB M13 55 dB M14 59 dB M15 63 dB M16 56 dB M17 60 dB M18 64 dB M19 59 dB M20 62 dB M21 55 dB M22 61 dB M23 65 dB M24 58 dB M25 62 dB M26 55 dB M27 59 dB M28 63 dB M29 58 dB M30 61 dB M31 65 dB M32 60 dB M33 64 dB M34 57 dB M35 61 dB M38 64 dB M40 60 dB M41 55 dB M43 63 dB M44 56 dB M45 60 dB M46 64 dB WA13 64 dB WA14 57 dB WA15 61 dB

🛣️ M11

19 postcodes affected · 52-60 dB range

E15 59 dB E20 59 dB IG1 61 dB IG2 61 dB IG7 59 dB IG8 59 dB CM17 60 dB CM18 60 dB CM19 60 dB CM20 60 dB CM21 60 dB CM22 60 dB CM23 60 dB CM24 60 dB CB1 59 dB CB2 59 dB CB3 59 dB CB4 59 dB CB5 59 dB

🛣️ A1(M)

20 postcodes affected · 50-60 dB range

N1 63 dB N4 59 dB N7 59 dB N10 57 dB N11 60 dB N14 60 dB EN1 60 dB EN2 60 dB EN4 60 dB EN5 60 dB SG1 53 dB SG2 53 dB SG4 53 dB SG6 53 dB SG7 53 dB SG8 53 dB PE1 52 dB PE2 52 dB PE7 52 dB PE8 52 dB

How Motorway Noise Decays With Distance

Sound from a motorway typically decreases by 3-6 dB for every doubling of distance. At 50 metres from the carriageway, noise levels of 70-80 dB are common during peak traffic. By 200 metres, this drops to around 55-65 dB, and by 500 metres, levels are usually below 50 dB.

Barriers such as earth bunds, noise fences, and buildings can further reduce motorway noise by 5-15 dB. Topography also plays a role — properties below the motorway level experience less noise than those above it.

Reducing Motorway Noise at Home

If you live near a motorway, soundproofing your home can significantly improve quality of life. The most effective measures include secondary glazing on road-facing windows, acoustic-rated trickle vents, and sealing gaps around doors and windows.

Check Road Noise by Address

You do not need to live next to a motorway for road noise to matter. A-roads and busy urban routes affect far more homes. To check any address, search its postcode district above; the district page shows the road noise level in dB and whether roads are the dominant noise source locally. The noisiest places ranking shows which districts have the heaviest traffic noise nationally, and the decibel guide explains what those figures sound like in practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I check road noise near an address?

Search the postcode district for the address in the box above. Every district page on NoiseCheck.uk shows a road noise figure in dB alongside rail, aircraft and industrial noise, so you can see whether traffic is the dominant sound at that address before you view or buy.

How far from a motorway can you hear the noise?

At 50 metres from the carriageway, 70-80 dB is common during peak traffic. By 200 metres this drops to around 55-65 dB, and by 500 metres levels are usually below 50 dB. Wind direction, barriers and topography all affect how far the sound carries.

How much does motorway noise drop with distance?

Sound from a motorway typically decreases by 3-6 dB for every doubling of distance. Earth bunds, noise fences and intervening buildings can cut a further 5-15 dB, and properties sitting below the level of the carriageway experience less noise than those above it.

Related Guides

Browse by county → Noisiest places →