How Noisy?

Road & rail noise map for Pontefract

Town in Wakefield, Yorkshire and the Humber

We analysed 1,029 postcodes in and around Pontefract, Wakefield against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 29% of them (297) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and 0% have mapped rail noise. 71% of postcodes have no mapped road or rail noise at all — though that reflects major-source modelling, not guaranteed quiet. The highest modelled level we found is at WF8 1JU (road noise 70.0–74.9 dB by day).

Noise map of Pontefract

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55-59 dB60-64 dB65-69 dB70-74 dB75 dB+Unshaded = below the mapping threshold or not modelled (not necessarily quiet).

How many postcodes are affected?

Road noise

BandDay (LAeq,16h)Night (Lnight)
55.0–59.9 dB day · 50.0–54.9 dB night21% (218)6% (61)
60.0–64.9 dB day · 55.0–59.9 dB night5% (54)3% (36)
65.0–69.9 dB day · 60.0–64.9 dB night2% (23)1% (14)
70.0–74.9 dB day · 65.0–69.9 dB night<1% (2)0% (0)
75.0 dB or more day · 70.0 dB or more night0% (0)0% (0)
Below mapped bands / not mapped71%89%

Rail noise

BandDay (LAeq,16h)Night (Lnight)
55.0–59.9 dB day · 50.0–54.9 dB night0% (0)<1% (4)
60.0–64.9 dB day · 55.0–59.9 dB night0% (0)0% (0)
65.0–69.9 dB day · 60.0–64.9 dB night0% (0)0% (0)
70.0–74.9 dB day · 65.0–69.9 dB night0% (0)0% (0)
75.0 dB or more day · 70.0 dB or more night0% (0)0% (0)
Below mapped bands / not mapped100%100%

Share of the 1,029 postcodes within ~5 km of the Pontefract centre. Source: DEFRA Strategic Noise Mapping Round 4 (2022), Open Government Licence.

Noisiest postcodes in and around Pontefract

Check a specific postcode

Example searches: WF8 2LA · WF8 1JU · WF8 1NW · WF8 1HH · WF8 1JX · WF8 1DH

What this data does — and doesn't — cover

  • Modelled, not measured.These are DEFRA's computer-modelled estimates (Round 4, 2022), not microphone readings at your door.
  • Major sources only. The model covers major roads, major railways and large urban areas. Smaller local roads, neighbours, pubs, building sites and aircraft are not included.
  • No mapped noise ≠ quiet. If a location shows no band, it means it falls outside the mapped contours — not that it is silent.
  • 2022 snapshot.New roads, developments or traffic changes since 2022 won't show. The next DEFRA round is due around 2027.

More detail on the methodology page.

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Nearby areas

Frequently asked questions

How noisy is Pontefract?
We analysed 1,029 postcodes in and around Pontefract, Wakefield against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 29% of them (297) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and 0% have mapped rail noise. 71% of postcodes have no mapped road or rail noise at all — though that reflects major-source modelling, not guaranteed quiet. The highest modelled level we found is at WF8 1JU (road noise 70.0–74.9 dB by day).
Where is the most road noise in Pontefract?
The postcodes with the highest modelled daytime levels in and around Pontefract are WF8 1JU, WF8 2LA, WF8 3HU, based on DEFRA's 2022 model of major roads and railways.