Be driving force in bid to banish noisy cars

A SEARCH for Britain’s noisiest streets has been launched by the Department for Transport, with four areas across England and Wales set to trial new technology to help stop rowdy motorists revving their engines unnecessarily or using illegal exhausts. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “We want those in Britain’s noisiest streets, who are kept up at night by unbearable revving engines and noisy exhausts, to come forward with the help of volunteer areas to test and perfect the latest innovative technology.

“It’s time we clamp down on this nuisance, banish the boy racer and restore peace and quiet to local streets.”

Since the technology is in design phase, MPs are being invited to submit applications to trial new innovative noise cameras in their area, helping to ensure communities can enjoy their public and residential spaces peacefully.

The technology, backed by £300,000, can automatically detect when vehicles are breaking legal noise requirements, helping provide police and local authorities with the tools and evidence to take action against drivers who flout noise laws.

Police have existing powers, including the ability to issue fines, but currently have trouble gathering evidence.

The latest phase of noise trials builds on a three-year programme to perfect the technology. Research shows noise pollution can have significant impacts on physical and mental health for residents – with heart attacks, high blood pressure, type two diabetes and stress all linked to long-term contact with loud environments.

Excessive noise pollution can mean children struggle to get a good night’s sleep and hardworking people’s lives are made more stressful.

In England alone, the annual social cost of urban road noise was estimated to be up to £10 billion a decade ago. This is the total economic cost of exposure to noise pollution, including lost productivity from sleep disturbance and health costs from heart attacks, strokes and dementia.

As set out in the government’s Levelling Up White Paper, complaints about noise are highest among the most economically deprived areas, with those in more disadvantaged areas as much as three times as likely to suffer from noise nuisance. Get in touch with your MP if this is a big problem in your street.

Jo Malone, Department for Transport