A new map – published by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – reveals spots on the coast where traffic noise or sound from industrial units have regularly high decibel levels.

Busy streets – including major thoroughfares such as the M55 and Amounderness Way, passing through Thornton and Fleetwood – are the loudest but traffic noise also blights smaller streets in residential areas, such as Squires Gate Lane in South Shore, Whitegate Drive from Marton to Blackpool town centre and Clifton Drive through St Annes and Lytham.

Four industrial sites appear on the DEFRA hot spots list – two on the Burn Naze Industrial Estate in Thornton, one on Cherry Tree Road at Marton and one on Poulton Industrial Estate.

Howard Phillips, a member of the Thornton Action group, said: “The residents who live on Burn Naze would like to see a ban on heavy goods vehicles travelling down Fleetwood Road North.

“It would make them use Amoundeness Way, which is the proper bypass.

“This will be more ammunition for them.

“Many of the people living there have been suffering from the increase in HGVs.”

Bruce Allen, of the Mereside Tenants Association, believes the problem is being increased by roadworks in the area.

He added: “The two main arteries in from the motorway are Cherry Tree Road and Preston New Road.

“Both roads are having works done at the same time. How stupid is that?

“I suppose you learn to live with the noise.”

The map – which you can see in full by following the link from our website, www.blackpool gazette.co.uk – also shows details of the noise from Blackpool Airport and local railway and tram lines.

In peak areas, volumes of more than 75 decibels were recorded – placing the noise between a family car doing 40 miles per hour and a modern twin-engine jet at take-off.