Malaga amongst noisiest cities

Malaga is the ninth noisiest of Spain’s large cities, according to a study.

Measurements in 19 cities show that around 30% of residents in Malaga put up with noise levels above 65 decibels, considered tolerable, and on the borderline for acoustic contamination.

In cities such as Murcia, Alicante or Madrid, more than 90% of the opulation lives with noise levels below 65 decibels, mainly because of reduced traffic in inhabited areas.

However in Malaga, although levels give no cause for concern, except in certain areas and at peak times, the main roads are near to inhabited areas.

Although levels have fallen since the last time data was taken in 2007, by three decibels.

Cities such as Castellon, La Coruña, Barcelona and Bilbao have more than 50% of the population exposed to damaging noise levels.

In certain areas of Malaga, electronic devices have been installed to measure noise levels, not from traffic, but from bars and terraces.