I used to live at a busy junction just inside a town centre (north west). During the time I was there, we did hear a lot of traffic noise but you could get used to it. It was also a major ambulance route, but we only heard them about once a day or less.
Roll on to now, I don't live in a busy place, so can't personally vouch for it, but at least 2 family members and a few friends I know of are either trying to move from a busy road/ambulance route, or reconsidering a purchase on one. One of these families, a couple with 2 children recently moved to the very road I used to live on and says there are now ambulances at deafening levels going past every 10 mins of the day and often through the night. I wonder why it would have increased so much in the 5 years since I left? According to them, and others living there, the sound of the road is greatly impacting their lives and mental health.
I googled this subject and came across a petition in London about the increasing sound levels of emergency sirens (naturally, it's London!), but I wonder is this something that is actually increasing, or am I just hearing about it more, sort of like coincidence?
I did once live on an A road near Keswick and the noice levels from motorbikes was fierce, in such an otherwise quiet place. I do think the general sound of vehicles has increased in the past few years, and there is a LOT more anti social noice on the roads.
Would like to pool some opinion. This will obviously be more challenging at junctions and in larger towns/cities, but has anyone noticed an increase? Perhaps it is worse in some areas and doesn't meet challenge because the residents are lower income? I Would love to know more.