Road & rail noise map for Portsmouth
City in City of Portsmouth, South East
We analysed 3,505 postcodes in and around Portsmouth, City of Portsmouth against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 42% of them (1,480) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and 3% have mapped rail noise. 56% 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 PO1 3EA (road noise 65.0–69.9 dB by day).
Noise map of Portsmouth
How many postcodes are affected?
Road noise
| Band | Day (LAeq,16h) | Night (Lnight) |
|---|---|---|
| 55.0–59.9 dB day · 50.0–54.9 dB night | 25% (873) | 9% (315) |
| 60.0–64.9 dB day · 55.0–59.9 dB night | 10% (352) | 9% (305) |
| 65.0–69.9 dB day · 60.0–64.9 dB night | 6% (226) | 4% (139) |
| 70.0–74.9 dB day · 65.0–69.9 dB night | <1% (29) | <1% (3) |
| 75.0 dB or more day · 70.0 dB or more night | 0% (0) | 0% (0) |
| Below mapped bands / not mapped | 58% | 78% |
Rail noise
| Band | Day (LAeq,16h) | Night (Lnight) |
|---|---|---|
| 55.0–59.9 dB day · 50.0–54.9 dB night | 1% (45) | 1% (48) |
| 60.0–64.9 dB day · 55.0–59.9 dB night | 1% (39) | 1% (43) |
| 65.0–69.9 dB day · 60.0–64.9 dB night | <1% (20) | <1% (23) |
| 70.0–74.9 dB day · 65.0–69.9 dB night | <1% (6) | <1% (6) |
| 75.0 dB or more day · 70.0 dB or more night | <1% (2) | <1% (2) |
| Below mapped bands / not mapped | 97% | 97% |
Share of the 3,505 postcodes within ~5 km of the Portsmouth centre. Source: DEFRA Strategic Noise Mapping Round 4 (2022), Open Government Licence.
Noisiest postcodes in and around Portsmouth
Check a specific postcode
Example searches: PO1 5AB · PO1 5AJ · PO1 2FR · PO1 2SN · PO1 5AH · PO1 5BX
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.
Bothered by road or rail noise at home?
Acoustic and secondary glazing typically cuts perceived traffic noise dramatically. We're building a free quote-matching service with vetted installers — leave your email and we'll contact you when it launches.
Nearby areas
Frequently asked questions
- How noisy is Portsmouth?
- We analysed 3,505 postcodes in and around Portsmouth, City of Portsmouth against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 42% of them (1,480) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and 3% have mapped rail noise. 56% 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 PO1 3EA (road noise 65.0–69.9 dB by day).
- Where is the most road noise in Portsmouth?
- The postcodes with the highest modelled daytime levels in and around Portsmouth are PO1 3EA, PO1 3EZ, PO4 9PP, based on DEFRA's 2022 model of major roads and railways.