These are some results from a periodic national survey on annoyance, sleep disturbance, risk perception and of the quality of the living environment. Starting in 1977, four previous surveys had been performed. For this fifth study 2,000 Dutch inhabitants aged 16 years or older were interviewed. The study was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment and TNO Inro conducted the study.
Annoyance from mopeds is of special interest in this study. In addition to noise annoyance, they are the most important source of sleep disturbance; 7% of the respondents report severe sleep disturbance by moped noise. The (loud and reckless) behaviour of moped drivers is also an important source of annoyance. Respondents perceive moped noise as particularly annoying in the evening hours. Nearly three-fourths (73%) of the respondents mention youth in the neighbourhood as most annoying moped drivers, followed by youth going to and coming from schools by moped (32%).
In general, Dutch inhabitants are satisfied with their homes and residential areas. The average score for satisfaction with the residential area is 7.7 on a scale from 0-10. People are most dissatisfied with parking facilities in the neighbourhood (18%), public transport (16%) and space for playgrounds in the neighbourhood (12%). In comparison with the last survey (in 1998), residential satisfaction has increased. The dissatisfaction with public transport has decreased the most (from 23% in 1998 to 16% in 2003). The subjective evaluation of safety has improved the most (from 18% evaluated as bad in 1998 to 9% in 2003). However, the need for a quieter residential area has also increased from 8% to 10%.