The line graph shows the number of complaints received by the Environmental Health Department in Newtown according to different types of noise from 1980 to 1996. Overall, complaints about most noise sources increased over the period, with domestic disturbances and traffic noise becoming the most significant issues by 1996, except for road works, which actually declined.
The four types of noise the authorities received the most complaints about are road works, traffic noise, factories, and domestic or household disturbances. In 1980, the authorities received over 600 complaints concerning road works, but this number steadily decreased over the years, dropping to around 100 by 1996. Factory noise complaints increased steadily from 1980 until they stabilized between 600 and 800 complaints per year from 1986 onwards.
The most significant increases were in complaints related to domestic or household disturbances and traffic noise. Complaints about domestic disturbances nearly doubled from around 600 in 1988 to 1,200 by 1996, making it the most complained-about issue by the end of the period. Traffic noise complaints initially decreased slightly but began to rise again after 1988, reaching about 600 by 1996.