"Unbearable"

Noise barrier against children

he empty schoolyard is a rare sight for Maria B. Because on most days there are hordes of pupils here, whose noise level is said to go beyond normal play during the break.(Bild: Zwefo)

The noise coming from the courtyard of a secondary school in Penzing is unbearable, says Maria B. She lives directly opposite. But what does the district say?

There are around 50 kilometers of noise barriers in Vienna. And if Maria B. has her way, the next one will be built right in front of her council house. She has lived here since 1999, right opposite a building with a primary and secondary school. "That didn't used to be a problem. But now it's an all-day school and the children aren't like they used to be," explains the employee. She is referring to the noise that the pupils make during the break and in the afternoon. Her windows are only a few meters away from the schoolyard.

"The children scream and shout, it's hard to describe." There are also footballs being banged against the fence and even discarded car tires. "Children should move around, but at a healthy volume," emphasizes B., who could already be retired, but can't stand the noise all day. "It starts at around 10 a.m. and then goes on until almost 4 p.m." In summer, it can be up to 40 degrees in her apartment, but it is not possible to open a window.

"I'm just asking for some consideration for us tenants," she says. The children should learn that. According to her, talks with teachers and management have so far been fruitless. She is therefore demanding that the district build a noise barrier.

According to district leader Michaela Schüchner (SPÖ), noise from pupils is also permitted in a residential area and does not consider any measures to be necessary. Maria B., on the other hand, wants to fight on.