More than 5,000 people in Dundee live in streets where there is too much noise, a Scottish Government report has said.
A draft action plan has been drawn up to create a dozen noise management areas that could see special measures taken to try to reduce the potentially harmful effects of passing road traffic and trains.
The central waterfront, which is being redeveloped at a cost of £1 billion, is identified as a key site that will have to be monitored.
The report said: “The Scottish Government acknowledge that noise can be distressing, affects our quality of life and can impact on our health and environment.
“Attitudes to noise are changing and it has been suggested that people are becoming less tolerant of their noise environment.”
It is reckoned that around 9,900 people live in parts of Dundee and Monifieth where they are exposed to road noise of between 65 and 75 decibels, with another 3,100 exposed to railway noise at the same level.
There are 4,800 people whose homes are in streets that have been identified as candidate road noise management areas, along with another 730 in areas affected by railway noise.
The report suggests that any potential remedial actions will have to be subjected to a cost-benefit analysis to decide if they are affordable or desirable.
However, options could include changing policies to include commitments to mitigate environmental noise or actual noise management interventions during maintenance and improvement programmes.
The report explained: “In common with many Scottish cities the architecture consists of a significant number of four or five-storey tenement properties creating numerous street canyons.
“In the commercial centres, a common feature of these tenement properties is that commercial premises are located on the ground floor with residential premises on the floors above.
“The main impact on the noise climate in Dundee over the coming years will be the redevelopment of the central waterfront.”
The candidate road noise management areas include Coupar Angus Road/South Road along with Lochee Road at Dudhope Terrace and the Princes Street/Albert Street/Forfar Road corridor.
Also on the list are Hawkhill/Session Street, Meadowside/Ladywell Avenue, Seagate/East Marketgait, South Marketgait at Trades Lane, King Street and Broughty Ferry Road at Carolina Court and, in Monifieth, Maule Street at Union Street.
The areas identified as suffering from rail noise are near St Vincent Street and near Queen Street in Broughty Ferry.
The report noted the city council was trying to cut vehicle emissions and some of the measures it was taking may also help to reduce noise. The Dundee local plan also has policies that impact directly on environmental noise.
The Scottish Government is consulting on the draft noise management action plan and will finalise it next year.