Plea for noise trial on Glens ‘racetrack’

Campaigners are ca l l ing for a Perthshire road to be the first in Scotland to trial new noise cameras after residents complained it was like living next door to a racetrack.

A local councillor is calling on the Scottish Government to experiment with the devices on the A93 between Blairgowrie and Glenshee.

The technology has only recently been introduced with some success in England.

Bob Brawn, Conservative councillor for Blairgowrie and Glens, said repeated complaints about traffic noise on the tourist route made it the ideal candidate for a Scottish trial.

The cameras measure the sound levels of passing vehicles to detect those that might be breaking the law on noise limits and could use automated number plate recognition to help enforce the rules.

Residents living close to the A93 have complained about an increase in noise from vehicles over the course of the summer, with motorbikes being a particular source of frustration.

Elizabeth Stewart, who has a farm at the roadside, called the situation “a nightmare”.

“It’s like living next to the Isle of Man TT racetrack,” she said.

“You have to listen out for the noise of the bikes in the distance before you even think about going on to the road.”

In August , Po l ice Scotland said officers would be targeting antisocial bikers after a number of complaints by residents.

Mr Brawn now hopes the government will step in after the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) indicated that legislation on noise cameras appeared to be in place to allow them to be introduced in Scotland.

He said: “The roads of Glenshee and the Glens have always been an attraction to motorcyclists and drivers alike.

“With speed comes noise and the disturbance caused by performance bikes and cars has been a recurring problem for many years but this year it seems to be far more prevalent than ever before.

“So-called noise cameras h av e been trialled in England and I’d like to see the SNP Government review legislation, which seems adequate, to see if we could adopt the same approach in Scotland.”

Transport Scotland said there were “no current p lans” to tr ia l the technology on the A93.

However, a spokesperson for the roads body said: “We recognise that noise from major roads is a concern and can be distressing.

“There is no legal limit to road noise, however it is illegal to modify the exhaust system to make a vehicle noisier after it has been type approved.

“The police can also take action if a vehicle’s silencer doesn’t work in the way it was designed or if someone is driving in a way that creates too much noise.”