Dear All,
The Department for Transport have confirmed that they will be testing “noise cameras” in multiple locations across the UK over the coming months.
They are just like speed cameras, only they measure the noise of your vehicle instead!
Similar to how a Gatso speed camera works, if the microphone in a noise camera (also known as an acoustic camera) detects a vehicle that is “too loud”, it takes a picture of the vehicle and a fine is sent to the owner, according to the DfT.
We understand that NIPs will not be issued during the trial but if the new cameras are rolled out they will be.
The level at which the “noise speed cameras” will activate has yet to be decided…
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling had this to say:
“This technology could provide an alternative to make sure communities are protected against excessive noise and that the people who are acting illegally are prosecuted… it’s a simpler, easier way of doing it”.
As ever in life, things aren’t black and white. But surely logic should prevail?
I’d imagine you’d agree that if someone was driving on the road you live in at – say – 150mph every day, you’d be on the phone to your local Police asking them to do something about it…
However, extremely unusual events like this surely don’t justify plastering Britain’s roads with speed cameras and stealth taxing Millions of Motorists with speeding tickets?
Similarly, I’d imagine if someone was driving past your home at 3 in the morning flat out on a Yamaha R1 (I’m assuming that’s a loud bike – I don’t know too much about them! :- ) and waking you up then you’d want them to stop doing it…
BUT:
a) Do these events ever (often) really occur?
b) Even if they do occasionally happen, does this give the Government the right to exert even more control over the 99.999% of the driving population who don’t drive around keeping people awake at night?
The other thought I had about noise cameras was this:
If the new cameras are rolled out, will they catch Police cars that use their sirens when not necessary, and will the Police Officer driving receive an NIP?
I have a friend who lives in London and he tells me that he is routinely woken up by Police blasting their sirens in the middle of the night when – he believes – it’s not really necessary.
Anyway, what I’m interested in is what BTST Members think!
Are noise cameras necessary, or are they just another way for the Government to exert even more control over our daily lives and extract even more money from us?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below:
All the best,
Adam
Yes. Another stealth tax. The vehicle goes through a MOT. that should be all that’s required.
Just another step to George Orwell’s 1984
You do not live where I do!!, these loons use this main raid as a racetrack on a daily basis!!
There is a alternative solution council need to put speed bumps around the roads they use as a speed track.
A complete nonstarter. There is no way of directionally locating the source of any noise. Equally all background noise will be added to the noise of any passing vehicle to make a nonsense of the recorded level
It might be a nonstarter and total rubbish but it’s good for Chris Grayling!
What is the maximum sound level?
I don’t know any garage that has a calibrated sound meter, do you?
Any smart lawyer would drive a bus through this, if you have ever used a noise meter you would know there are so many variables like temperature and surrounding reflective surfaces that getting two readings the same is almost impossible!
Being a motorcycle rider, I learned rapidly that loud is good, so many car drivers remain blissfully unaware that there is a motorcyclist in their vicinity it’s frightening! Don’t get me wrong there are a majority of good motorists but there remains too many that are not. How many times have we all not been aware of the odd bike in a blind spot because it could not be heard. A loud (ish) bike is definitely safer than a quiet one. Lord knows where we will be when electric ones hit the streets.
It’s a money maker and an unsafe one in certain circumstances.
As the EEC has mandated speed control technology is installed on all new cars in EU( including for the time being the UK) from 2020 this could render all the expensive speed cameras and traps obsolete. So a massive fall in revenue for the Government. And massive costs of so called smart motorways. Largely paid for by future fine revenues will be wasted. So I guess repurposing speed cameras to noise is some clever civil servants idea of a solution. If it moves: tax it. And of course EVs are quiet so will then render those noise cameras obsolete too. Clever thinking boys. Of course the elephant in the room is once all the cameras are up and running they will be networked to track every journey of every car so road pricing will be bought in to replace petrol and fuel tax. As by the time we all have to drive EVs there will be none! Every journey will be logged by GPS and cameras. Now that is concerning. Like China we will be classified as good or bad actors. And punished or rewarded accordingly.
Yet more nonsense from a bunch of idiots.
Just another way to raise money from poor motorists nothing to do with helping the public the Not should be all that is required
I hear mopeds, scooters and motorbikes everyday that stand out from the rest simply because they are so loud, painfully so pretty often. Cars that also have obviously had ‘enhancements’ that would fail an mot test. I’d be only too glad if they were fined and hopefully removed from the road as mot failures because that’s exactly what they are
What would happen if I was approaching a noise camera in my car with a loud exhaust and at the same time morning until I have pass the camera. Already there is a flaw or shall I say hack.
So ‘failing’ Grayling is in charge of this fiasco?,…..so its a guaranteed disaster, just like the railway franchises and his ‘imaginary’ ferry service without vessels.What a waste of money this will be. Some vehicles are noisy,…..but how many?,…….very few, especially on a motorway!Ambulance sirens regularly wake me up at ridiculous times, when there is little or no traffic, so who will be the targets,…. the motorist of course.
Another big brother tax or money machine will it pick up a plane flying low to land over a motorway i.e. Leeds Birmingham East Midlands
I agree with the comments about Police cars. I live next to a main road and they often zoom past in the early hours with sirens wailing, even when there is no other vehicle in sight. I used to drive fire engines and we were told not to use sirens between 2300 and 0700. Seems like there is one law for us and a different one for them.
I do think however that there are some idiots on the roads who like to make a big noise, both engine noise and booming speakers with their windows down. Are these poeple deaf or stupid?
I wonder if this will work in areas with Drunks on a Friday night, hollerting and shouting obscenities. They could be photographed and Auto-find for causing a breach of the peace assuming like ANPR, they use AFR (Auto Face Recognition) if their Mug is on file?
This is another cash cow and and to some, an infringement or intrusion into one’s enjoyment. However, I do get rather fed up if I’m woken by the little arse in his Type R that drives flat out everywhere with his drain pipe exhaust. It will be worth it just to catch him…before I do.
Good points and bad points, Chris Grayling is a Tosser anyway!
Yes I defo agree another way of making money. To fill up the empty government purse
some people replace the exhausts just for the mot then swap it back after,that is wrong. this voids insurance as its classed as undisclosed modification.
A great idea. Let’s hope we see these rolled out ASAP!
Yes its just another way for control by big brother
What would happen if you are passing a “noisy” vehicle which is coming in the opposite direction to you. Even if there were cameras either side of the road how would they be able to detect which vehicle it was coming from? Or if unluckily there were to be a loud clap of thunder just as you pass one – what would happen then?
Classic vehicles are often quite noisy – but are only used occasionally and in normal hours, not late at night. While we all routinely get annoyed by very loud cars and bikes, these ‘cameras’ need to be applied intelligently, probably too much to hope for.
In principle I’m in favour. Motorists need to hear the noise level above which their vehicle becomes illegal. Then they’ll have no complaints if they’re caught.
This sounds ,excuse the pun, a good idea. Around my area, we have a lot of little darlings that enjoy off roading on dirt bikes, quad bikes. Most seem to have taken off their silencers to get more umph. Knowing that there are few police around, they then parade in droves along the public highway. Sadly, as they have no respect for the law, will these bike be registered
I can’t see this working. Noise bounces, an ambulance passes just out of sight just when you are in a position that the “noise camera” detects you. I think the barristers are going to have a field day on this one. What next, your car is the wrong color to be seen at night!
Well if it was 1st of April I would of laughed. What will they dream up next to fleece the motorist? These cameras will probably be placed away from built up areas on open roads.
Noisy food delivery scooters are a big problem for me,almost 24 hrs a day.
I too thought it a little late for All Fools’ Day.
Next we ought to have hot air and B*ll**t cameras to detect the rubbish that Chris Grayling utters.
On BBC Question Time In Dover last year, when asked about Operation Stack, he showed that he had no idea about transport in Kent! Lorries…. what are those!
The ideal politician for Transport: He knows nothing!
Yet another stealth tax on already over burdened motorists!
This is ridiculous. Part of the evidence in a camera based speeding conviction is that of the expert witness who has examined the pictures and verified from the change in position of the vehicle that it was dong the indicated speed. I’d like to meet the expert that can look at a picture of a vehicle and testify that it was definitely the source of the noise.
I think that maybe it is time to sell the Ducati!!! It has on occasions set off car alarms!
I was given to understand that when Jeremy Clarkson was particularly rude about the fire service (or it may have been the police) whenever they drove near his house they switched their sirens on, day and night.
True? Who knows.
My friend resides in a street with terraces either side directly bounding the street. He tells me the noise, especially the bikers\boy racers can be horrendous, actually frightens the grandchildren, even his dogs. So, there is a place for these noise cameras.
If two noisy vehicles passed a ‘camera’ one going towards the camera and the other away from the camera and the noise from BOTH vehicles triggered the camera the noise which vehicle would receive the NIP? Even if both vehicles were well below the noise threshold?
This is just yet another case of a stupid idea being flung out to test public opinion and to see how many ideas (as above) can be garnered and overcome before the cameras are installed. A kind of consultation exercise.
If they are ‘tested’ at known locations where excessive noise is generated, the fines might educate the individuals into turning the volume down and fitting standard exhausts. Then they would not need to roll them out nationwide.
Setting the bar can only be done in conjunction with vehicle manufacturers and the relevant legislation regarding construction and use.
Just another waste of public funds.
Better off building knife detectors.
Difficult to comment without knowing more facts. Seems ;ike a sprat to catch a mackeral. My initial reaction is yet another way to extract more money from the motorist. How will one be able to prove if any fines are correct. ( Stupid question I knew as soon as I had written it.) I must be stupid to believe that fines will be reduced. What a hope!!
About time! Living in a small rural town on the main through road we are sick to death of being woken up or disturbed between 10pm and 7pm by very noisy motorbikes, cars and LORRIES belting hell for leather past our house on a 40mph road and probably exceeding 80mph – cats around here have a relating high mortality rate :-(
Yet another way to fleece the long suffering motorist instead of the Police getting off their backsides and doing proper policing.
I assume that the same rules will apply as in speeding etc. that you have no right to non-self incrimination – in other words if you get a fine – then you must be guilty or if you have the effrontery to challenge it in court and you win, you cannot get back your costs?
Disgraceful.
I am becoming increasingly incensed by the relentless advancement of GOVERNMENT IN YOUR FACE INTRUSION into our lives, and I would vote OUT / DESLECT any MP in favour of this and any other intrusion, including the maintenance of ubiquitous speed-bumps, speed cameras and excessive road signs and all their works.
its not just noisy engines, its the very loud stereos which can be heard streets away.
Can’t see a problem unless you have a vehicle that is illegal. If you do, then you deserve to get caught. If your vehicle is lawful it will never impact you other than helping you to enjoy a quiet night’s sleep. I live in the country next to a 30mph road and the speed and noise of some vehicles is incredibly anti-social.
Whilst I deplore the Governments continued assault on motorists pockets, i live in an area where vehicles noise, particularly motorbikes and large cars, cause a considerable nuisance because the owners replace the silencers with extremely noisy exhausts, designed to create the greatest possible disturbance. Short blasts in low gears, followed by explosive popping and banging, has become the norm around town centres as have snarling turbo waste gates. Cameras seem a stupid idea when an MOT test for noise (every track day has this equipment) is far more meaningful plus the facility for the police to stop and check noise at the roadside, would discourage those who swap their noisy exhaust out, just to get through the MOT.
Does this mean that on full power shift changes when the exhaust gives out a little bang we are going to be fined.
Stand under the camera with a portable air horn.
Wait till someone you dont like drives past.
Sound said airhorn!
Revenge is sweet!
lol…love it.
I would think that in the case of multiple vehicles the picture would be disregarded. No doubt, if there are elements of doubt, a vehicle could be checked prior to a prosecution. There are a lot of grey areas but when Jack the Lad removes the baffles from the silencer of his bike he is possibly impairing performance not improving it and as someone with hearing problems some vehicles emit so much noise, (when for example stationary alongside you at traffic lights), the noise is painful in my hearing aids.
Yes. I think it is a good idea but it will need fine tuning.
David
Hopefully this is to get the minority who drive around with illegally modified noisy exhausts and probably lights and number plates that make their vehicle insurance void. They cause a nuisance to the majority of the population (including those who do not own a car). What we really need is more traffic and local authority enforcement to take these drivers and their vehicles off the road. Anyone with a normal car has nothing to fear.
So if a car is manifactured like my F type Jaguar with exhausts which are quite noisy but pass all european legislation is that going to be deemed illegal now or are we only talking aftermarket.. jesus you would think they would have more pressing matters to deal with..lol
As usual its an opportunistic way of making more money and increasing the taxation on motorists. I am sure they wont identify airplanes ? or large trucks or tractors!! and will only be placed in locations where they are sure to catch someone !!
Someone somewhere complained and some numpty in a civil service office somewhere said wow that’s a great way to make more money !!!
What next cameras for cars with loud colors ? motorcyclists with Noisy protective gear ? Football Fans singing in the street, choirs being told to quiet down !!!!!
The UK police issued almost 3 million speed tickets in 2017 (or 18 ?)at an average £100 per ticket that is generating over £300 million pounds of revenue. Which then disappears into the government coffers!!!
And they try to explain its for safety . absolute Bo*&L*ӣS
The Police and government admit they cant even solve the issues such as Knife or Moped crime,
They admit that Motorcycle theft is up by 300% with more with more and more aggression being used in these attacks which are demonstrably getting worse .
Apparently the police don’t have the resources to solve these issues but they do have the resources and time to fund idiotic and useless schemes like this.
They never explain or provide factual information on how effective these schemes are.
How much it will cost us the taxpayer to install operate and maintain this equipment and never admit to the actual amount of money generated !!
Safety cameras are not for safety , smart motorways are idiotic and only used for cash generation and now sound is also an offence !! Mobile camera vans are mobile tax collectors and only used in areas where they can generate huge amounts of money.
The police and government used to command respect but the facts are that the politicians are now ranked below lawyers and reporters on the list of people who you cannot trust.
The police are loosing respect because they are being played by the politicians and as such are no longer allowed to provide the protection and security that is part of their remit. Instead they are becoming glorified Tax Collectors which is sad as we did have the best police force in the world but we are doing everything possible to drag them down to the level of the politicians
It seems to me that George Orwells 1984 predictions are coming true !!!
Where, and by whom, is the db ileigality threshold be set for individual vehicles, and how will this be tested at MoT?
Hi Adam,
A Yamaha R1 with a standard exhaust should not be a particular problem! Our problem is the Scooby, VSR Skoda and Clio with dodgy exhausts most evening up our road in a thirty limit. Speed camera, Noise camera anything to make it stop, but of course it a residential road and three tickets a night wont be cost effective.
What we need is a Chris Grayling camera to keep him at home because once he gets to his Department he costs us, an absolute fortune with his bright ideas. Ferry contracts anyone!
Steve
vRS skod
There should be a fine on electric cars as well. They are knocking people over because people cannot hear them coming. What a farcical country we have become…
It would be fantastic if all motorists stuck together and refused to pay these so called fines and see if they lock up thousands of us every day, lol. That will never happen as most people are too scared to do anything about these extra taxes and we have let it go too far and for too long. Andy.
There seems to be a growing number of offensive vehicles, not such young men in cars like Porches and Mercs around my way which seem to have over sized exhausts and they rev the engines like hell as they try to impress. Of course there are also the younger people in their sooped up little cars that rev like crazy and you hear the valves bounce who try to do something! Do not forget the motor bikes, especially the smaller ones. Often I think the frequency that they scream at has a lot to do with this problem.
Perhaps if caught they should produce said vehicle at a testing place and if guilty, then deal with them!
Can’t wait for the noise cameras
Motorbikes literally screaming up the road is antisocial & ruins quality of life
If a car passes an MOT it is deemed road legal, so a noise camera cannot legally issue a NIP, this means that the acceptable noise level for both the MOT and the cameras have to be aligned, so I don’t necessarily see this as a stealth tax and it may deter those that insist on driving a loud car without an MOT.
They are long overdue, as long as used sensibly, (not sure our law makers know the meaning of that)
We live adjacent to a main road, but in the country.
These so-called “events” occur repeatedly every day. By “day” I mean from about 5.00 in the morning to 11.00 at night. The idiots creating them have no consideration whatsoever for residents in the area. It can make sleep at night difficult. It greatly reduces the enjoyment that people get from their gardens. One fool being a nuisance to several dozen people.
In the summer, when the motor cyclists make their day trips to the seaside, we often get a dozen or so events one after the other in the morning, and again when those motor cyclists are on their way back.
Let the noise limit be set at a sensible level.
A rationed allowance could be made for certain types of vehicles at certain times.
What about air noise too many planes are far to loud ‘the police helicopter that keeps people awake so what your trying to do is urn money out of the public it won’t be long before you bring fart camera so you can urn more money. Ref noise
As everyone agrees just another stealth tax. Thought.. If the majority of exhausts are not noisy, how will they recover the costs of these devices? Will the levels be such that we will need new exhausts every 6 months?
Hopefully it will catch the noisy cars and bikes that swop there noisy cans/systems over for the MOT,
But really it’s just another tax on the motorist!
Fighting the fine would be interesting!
Next thing you know they will be nicking you for excess emissions whilst accelerating too hard.
I race cars and my car is tested routinely for noise so as not to disturb local communities. This I feel that, although distracting from the spectical, it has a place.
Therefore, if existing camera units can be modified to take on the sound systems and that the LEVELS SET ARE REASONABLE, it should not be too big an issue.
I would also like to point out that when my car is tested, the readings can alter dramatically dependant upon what is in in the immediate vecinity eg 10% less when on grass than when on tarmac; car in immediate vecinty to exhaust, plus 10% –Hence specific location for testing at tracks to give level playing field.
All petrol heads have gone through a tunnel with their windows down to listen to the sound of their crisp exhaust!!!!
Sounds like another stealth tax and what about sirens from ambulances, police cars etc; need more police to catch the off- roaders who tend to make the most noise and nuisance.
1986 RV C&U Regs Part II K Regs 54-59inc (and EU Dir) are quite explicit on noise levels and how they are to be enforced. I can tell you having looked into this as a swerving police officer many years ago that this is not an easy operation. Set positions for the dB(A) meters etc etc. Ambient noise interferes too. All this has to be done under very strictly controlled conditions and is not operable in the street.
There is ample prosecutory powers for controlling ‘excess noise’ in those same Regs (97/8) but of course it needs boots on the ground and is very subjective and can be challenged in all cases.
This is bound to fail.
As a motorist and motorcyclist for 42 years I can sincerely say that this is a disgusting waste of my taxpayers money. No doubt it will cost multi millions to buy, install and maintain this roadside crap, but it should be better spent on more police officers employed on the beat and traffic who will be able to carry out multiple tasks to fight ALL crime not just speeding…..oh, and noise.
Street Legal 2017 Honda Fireblade SP1 with stock EU approved silencer. And yet it has failed the noise test at numerous race circuits when tested at track days. How does that work then? All I can think is that they will have to tell you where the noise camera is so that you can shut off the throttle/ switch off and push it. How long before we go back 100 years to the man walking in front with the red flag???
I think this is a Good idea. I don’t. See why some people. Feel they need to be causing to much noise and annoyance.
I hear a car some evenings and it the racket carries for miles. Personally I don’t want to be listening to someone’s banger
The worst noise offenders are thos5 who drive around with so-called music blaring. If the noise cameras can detect this type of antisocial pest I would be in favour – otherwise I can’t see much point.
I have an Aston V8 vantage with 200 cell cats and fuse 22 removed . Passed the mot the last two years with no problems . Some cars are meant to sound loud but not excessive. Just more ways of penalising the motorist
I would prefer to see the powers that be tackle real crime and not waste my taxes on this crap. Boy racers with noisy cars and bikes can be caught using other hands on methods…..
So what next? Cameras detecting one head lamp? Would be more useful and save the odd crash.
correct Jim correct
too many 1 headlight muppets
or the odd 1 that shines up into the sky (usually fitted by halfords)
Another stealth tax on us poor motorists
1. Your exhaust “blows” and you need to take the car to a garage for repair. How do you get there?
2. With the speed cameras, you can challenge the accusation by referring to the evidence – photos & road markings – which is a fundamental principle of English law. Will the speed camera produce evidence (how?) or simply give a finding of guilty?
Irony or what? When from 1st July all electric and hybrid cars had to make a noise in order to “protect pedestrians!”
The motorists that have loud vehicles will just move to quiet rural spots out of the gaze of speed/noise cameras and make our quiet lives in the country more of a misery. I live in the country and we regularly get young drivers who know that the areas aren’t policed or any real CCTV and abuse the fact and make our lives a misery by donutting, revving their engines and playing loud music in the early hours. This will just push these irresponsible road users out of the cities and urban areas to race around noisily in the rural areas/beauty spots. You can report anti social behaviour but the police are far too under staffed to attend majority of times. So I feel this will only catch a few anti social drivers as people would grow wise to it and find a way round it as above. Maybe they should put noise cameras in shopping centres/restaurants and fine parents of screaming kids as that’s just as anti social! Only kidding Lol! Where will they ever stop with their ridiculous stealth taxes! I wish they would spend more money on tackling car crime if I’m honest as that’s more anti social than a bit of noise now and then.
Just behind where I live a young guy visits his parents once a month, he Drives a new Lamborghini, the exhaust makes a tremendous noise, will Lamborghinis be ask by GB to lower the noise at their factory for the half dozen cars they sell to UK Customers, or will they just pay fine. does the transport minister make this statement on April 1.St ? and what about Ice cream Vans. I think the minister lives just behind Harrods where the young Arabs try out there Super cars for the crowds who go to Ogle the Rich.
Once an oppressive system – whatever the initial justification – is put in place, its operators will naturally seek to snare a minimum number of targets per month in order to validate themselves and raise revenue to support the operation that pays their salaries. This is irrespective as to whether or not those targets were actually harming or even threatening persons or property in breach of common law, or truly deserve the cruel and dehumanising stress being put upon them. Of course a sizeable majority will not deserve it.
The kinds of people who are naturally drawn into doing these jobs (and who will happily spend all day showing such callous disregard to the protests of innocence they will receive in droves) will be the most inadequate people in society, least capable of treating their fellow humans in the fair and equitable way our inalienable human rights demand.
‘Created by the wars that required it, the machine now created the wars it required’ ~ Joseph Schumpeter
If some idiots didn’t feel it necessary to show how fast their cars could accelerate in residential areas in the middle of the night this wouldn’t be necessary.
However stopping a few of them and quarantining their car/bike for some time would probably be more effective than small fines.
Great idea. as someone who lives in a town centre on the route of boy racers in their corsas, ford focus etc with huge exhausts that wake up my kids with their bangs and revved engines I have no problem here.
I have a powerful car that makes no where near this noise and am all for it!
Lamborghini Huracan, Mercedes C63 AMG.
Where will they stand as being ‘standard’ vehicles ?
It’s another crazy idea…
Right up there with ‘Report of Pedestrians in the Road’ !
Controlling unnecessary noise pollution is long over due.
Selfish anti-social hooligans are the only ones who have anything to fear.
This is nothing to do with safety or transport. It’s about anti social hooligans showing off to deliberately spoil the peace of the majority in the places they drive through. Most cars are fine. Its the boy racers with illegal modified exhausts and bikers that shatter the peace with their selfish offensive noise that are the problem, and hard and expensive to pollce. So this is a good idea, done with a reasonable margin of error, because the drivers are causing a selfish public nuisance to people for miles around, far more so than someone moving faster than the speed limit quite safely. Not the same thing at all, deliberately anti social, the same narciscistic type of people who are loud mouthed in public places. Motor bikes in particular are FAR too loud. There are very few over loud cars that can easily carry adequate silencing, driven by very sad people. Far better to be fast and silent, so no one notices – but that isn’t how selfish people think. If you want to make a noise/race, go to a track.
Just a thought. Is there likely to be a correlation between the guys with the very loud ‘look at me’ exhausts, and the non standard Reg plates often darkened out, that might prevent ANR working anyway.
As Ian mentioned above, “ample prosecutory powers for controlling ‘excess noise’” already exist but need “boots on the ground” to enforce.
The boots on the ground can’t be everywhere so I don’t think acoustic detectors are necessarily a bad thing if they direct those boots on the ground to where they’re needed. Prosecution shouldn’t be automatic (like a speed camera is) but having a picture of a possibly offending vehicle gives a targeted way to use the limited manpower, ie highlight the vehicles that should be looked at because the owner has fitted a non-standard very loud exhaust.
If it were then to be flagged on anpr for a stop or a home visit, at least the very worst culprits would be immediately identified and could be issued with a notice to fix it back to OEM spec.
I love the sound of a nice engine, even decent aftermarket exhausts are fine, but those badly modded, silencer free, cars & bikes that drive down the road at 30mph and set all the car alarms off.. no need for it.. straight to the crusher!
Great idea, and I’m sure, instigated after complaints from the public.
We are frequently woken or disturbed by mainly very loud bikes and some cars as they pass us and seeing what looks like an open road they accelerate hugely, and make one hell of a din.
I like to drive rapidly and make an engine growl as much as the next man, but these over-powerful motorbikes are ridiculous.
If some of those are warned – so much the better.
Have just looked at emails no one seems to have noticed that very soon ALL Electric Vehicles will have to have an engine like sound admiting from their vehicles, could this be aways of catching out those with low noise cars ;)
I am all in favour in rural and residential areas. It might stop these little shit heads with their noisy scooters and bike plaguing the neighbourhood.
The ones that licence plates that is
They will stop at nothing, to make us all pay for their pensions.
I think if the cameras are placed where there is a known problem and it stops people revving engines and making unnecessary noise at inappropriate times then OK. They must be set at a level that any car getting through its MOT will not normally be captured. As always, the best way to stop getting a ticket is to drive reasonably, if not you deserve the ticket. My only challenge is the authorities abuse things like this in time, they hide cameras behind trees and walls and this is of course just revenue collection from the unaware. It’s the flip side of slowing down for the speed cameras.
i thought it was an offence under costruction&use reg.1986 no 2 every exhaust&silencer shall be maintained in good order and shall not be alterd so as to increase the noise made by the escape if exhaust gases.
I was a W.O.F. (WARRANT OF FITNESS) vehicle inspector for 23 years in N.Zealand. (Its a system similar to an M.O.T) Over the years I have used various noise level meters as part of the inspection process or if requested by traffic police, when they stop a boy racer. The only accepted method of testing was to hold a meter 1.5 mtres from the end of the exhaust pipe at a side-wards angle of 45 degrees. There also had to be very little background noise to spoil the reading. The law courts will be busy. LoL
Im all for them im sick and tired of the so called boy racers with there radios and loud exhausts being fined. I live on a small street and it used to be quiet but not any more they use it as a race course with there fucking radios blairing well im all for them.
Peter it wont be a radio, it will be a proper sound system connected to a mobile or ipod thingy with a subwoofer
Loud motorbikes are a curse of our age, especially when they try and do 20,000 revs from a standtill and up through every gear till out of hearing range. Id confiscate their bikes!
Is this another nail in the coffin of those of us that obey the law? I live in a flat next to a busy one way system on the south coast. Yes, I am plagued by police and ambulances passing by at all hours with their sirens deafeningly loud, mostly they are answering emergency calls so I live with it. What really annoys me are the number of bikes (Harley Davidsons especially) which race around the one way at max throttle even in the early hours of the morning, cars with modified or straight – through systems seem to work to find out who can make the most noise! Why, then are we surprised when the government acts to try to rectify the problem? Those of us who obey the law have nothing to fear, it is those who flout the law who need to be stopped. My town is particularly badly affected by this problem, being a biker myself I know that removing or changing the exhaust system on a bike seldom leads to improved performance, just more noise!
There is a chap who regularly passes our house attemping to break the sound barrier. It is annoying but then two considerations come to mind. Firstly I was young once and definitely remember modifying my bikes silencer.
Secondly if (Smiling) Chris Grayling is true to form it won’t work anyway!
I hope that these cameras would not be set to react at any sound that is less than the DTp have as the limit for a new kit car to be considered ‘ safe’ for use on the public highway
Personally I’ve always thought the “boy racers” who remove silencers from their cars are stupid! I have a high-performance car which I often drive fast, but I would NEVER fit a noisy exhaust, as the last thing I want to do is attract attention from the Police. And in fact, rarely do these noisy exhausts produce more power from the engine – often they reduce the power output. Like others on here, I am frequently disturbed by loud cars and motorbikes passing the end of my quiet cul-de-sac, so this proposal is good news as far as I’m concerned. And the people that have mentioned MOTs or OEM equipment are irrelevant. Most people re-fit original exhausts just before an MOT . . . and some cars original tinted windows are actually illegal, due to being too dark. (ie just because it came from the factory like that doesn’t make it legal)
Oh Yes Please can I nominate South Woodham Ferrers ring road as a site! We must have the highest concentration of modified motorbikes and megaphone turbo’d high-performance cars in the country from 5 am in the morning for 4 to 5 hours and 6 in the evening until the early hours and any time of the weekend revving the Bxxlks off them and dropping turbo wastegates. It makes life a misery for residents it’s like living in the middle of a race circuit all summer long and we have to keep windows firmly closed overnight to get more than a few hours sleep and can’t enjoy being in our gardens in the summer. So bring it on and if these unreasonable people want to make that kind of noise then go to a race circuit, not our public roads!
Wrong bike harley beter example but as my wife says loud pipes save lives but what about subaru’s who have a loud exhaust note as standard. Exhaust notes are set at certain speed so are manufacturers going to give decibel reading at a every speed limit?
Yes, another way of generating a bit of cash, we should all know by now??? but what about all hybrid and electric cars what’s next then??
What is the maximum sound level?
I don’t know any garage that has a calibrated sound meter, do you?
Any smart lawyer would drive a bus through this, if you have ever used a noise meter you would know there are so many variables like temperature and surrounding reflective surfaces that getting two readings the same is almost impossible!
Whilst I hate the way that ‘speeding’ motorists are treated like cash-cows (in an arbitrary manner – some police forces/councils are hot on any form of speed offences, whilst others less so), I have noticed an increasing number of vehicles with presumably their silencers removed & deliberately driven in such a way that you hear a sometimes ear shattering roar from the revs going up, often only to have to almost immediately slow down again as the road conditions dictate.
This is on fairly urban roads near to me – what is the point, other than just to draw attention to themselves & seemingly to cause both air & noise pollution, something sadly needs to be done, unfortunately if people choose to behave like this, the law needs to act, it’s just inconsiderate & rude in my opinion & wholly unnecessary!
Im sure if they are implemented. There may well be some VERY loud Pyrotechnic Devices applied to them here & there? When activated, end of ‘Noise Camera’s at the VERY expensive cost of replacing them constantly!….
Not that I am advocating that sort of Behaviour! But the way this Country is being suppressed, restricted, & Penalising the Motoring Population. It wouldnt take much for some Motorists to ‘Snap’!……
Just another tax collector. If the noise level is genuinely set to detect the minority who may exceed reasonable levels, then I can see an argument. However, I’m far from convinced that rolling the proposal out nationally will be cost affective – unless the level of detection is set much lower.
I also live on a road used by police cars as a cut through and their sirens can be heard through the night when there is virtually no traffic and the road is straight, giving a clear view of their flashing lights – frustratingly unnecessary.
I guess “they” will find a way to make it “work” and so if your silencer blows 50 miles from home you’re going to pay!
If the detectors are mobile it’s possible that some good can come out of this, but they probably won’t be, so anyone who is plagued by kids taking the silencer off their 50cc bike or Ka or Cora’s, is not likely to get satisfaction!
All the lawyers have to do is say they are aware that a leaf blower/ strimmer/angle grinder was being used nearby just out of camera view, and the fine becomes invalid?
Despite being against rules and regulations generally, I have to say not opposed to this idea. We live in the country but 1/2 mile from a main road. Summer weekends are a constant roar of motorcycles; cars you rarely hear at all, lorries sometimes & then it’s mostly tyre noise. Don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun, but there’s no need to be that noisy and it’s antisocial, ruining everyone’s weekends.
Great point. Resurfacing some of our appalling roads might be a good place to deal with noise – inside and outside the car, but especially for those within a few miles of a major route. The M20 and much of the M25 is a national disgrace.
Put them on M20 between junctions 8 and 9
I live a mile away from the motorway and the concrete road surface makes tyre noise from the traffic sound like an aircraft taking off
Fine the highways department for the excessive noise that’s generated
This is the biggest load of Bullshit I have ever read ever! It is not going to happen! If you fall for this garbage, then you are all mugs! Think outside of the box, too many faculties will defeat this ridiculous idea!!
Just been discussions on Electric Vehicles having to make an induced noise for
safety reasons what’s it coming to. Don’t break wind in an electric car.
They can install one of these at the crossroads / traffic lights outside my property.
Good Grief its about time Chris Grayling went anyway. I suppose this means I can’t drive to work in a Can-Am 917 anymore oh well, but on a serious note the few cases where a car is too loud is usually dealt with and a car that is to loud can’t pass an MOT. Does this mean you cant rev a Ferrari anymore without going to Prison this is Draconian nonsense. You soon won’t be able to access large sections of the internet without proving your age probably your martial status next, the BBC tries hard to tell us if we deviate from their views we are stupid and wrong, you can’t buy a sugary drink without a special tax and I expect this trend to continue if you buy goods contained in plastic or food not approved by Jamie Oliver you will have to pay a tax, owning and driving a car that isn’t electric makes you wrong because of Carbon Dioxide induced Climate Change (which is a lie), our insistence in driving over 20MPH makes us life threatening maniacs, if we say something stupid or offensive it is a crime, if we so much as look at a woman in any way whatsoever it’s harrassment. Britain is descending into an over regulated Police state.
I am not sure about this one?
In theory it could be a good thing, considering the number of cars with various “modifications” to their exhaust systems that mainly do nothing for the performance, but only increase the noise from the vehicle, and often causing backfiring from the exhaust when the throttle is closed (e.g. When changing gear, or braking).
I live close to a busy road, and this is quite often a considerable nuisance caused by “boy Racers” into the early hours of the morning.
However, there is a lot of focus on vehicle exhaust noise, but will the volume of car “sound systems” to be included in this exercise too?? Because when you can hear a cars sound system from up to half a mile away, will this be considered as excessive noise too (if not, it should be! )?? will they be fined, OR will they be required to have Public Broadcast licences instead? :) :)
Struggling the see how technically this will work. How does this pinpoint a source of noise, especially if there is a lot of ambient noise or multiple sources? If the noise issue is due to modified cars involved in street racing, then wouldn’t it be better to police these incidents (for safety and other nuisance) reasons – or is this more armchair policing for profit? Is this yet another solution in search of a problem?
Look ahead people. With the Conservatives committing us to zero emissions, they have to find someway to encourage (force) everyone to buy into their climate change pipe-dream. Electric cars don’t make any noise don’t-ya-know. However, battery life is likely around 5 years and £1200 – £1500 each battery to replace, they contain dangerous toxic chemicals and are likely to cause environmental and costly disposal issues that no one seems keen to mention.
Rubbish, What evidence will a photo show as to the level of noise. Unlike a picture of a vehicle passing a speed or red light detector is factual, but a photo of a vehicle passing a noise camera proves nothing, because between receiving the fine/letter and photo a motorist can make the vehicle quiet again or turn the volume down arguing there has been a mistake. Simplesssss!
Keep Revvin’ Gus. x
PS. I can’t stand noisy vehicles.
yet AGAIN the motorist is being hit BIG BROTHER me thinks
I have read all the comments I have thought about them and the one thing that stands out is no one has of yet said that the whole of it is a waste of good money are taxes by the way ? that will be spent by some idiot in Whitehall on cameras of what ever type when every car is going electric and thousands spent on so called research that will all be wasted then thousands of scrap cameras all payed for by us in junk yards and the idiot government and police say they are short of money I wonder why,?? This government as we have seen are a load of retards who don’t know their you know whats from there dare I say It Brains it will be a total wast of money right from the very start and we should let the idiots know it .
Another money making scheme. However, my new Stinger (170mph) is as quiet as a mouse but should sound a bit more “sporty” like an Aston Martin, Jag XK etc. The V5 has a noise rating of 115db so if I fit a new sporty exhaust system will I be nicked? What about the Aston Martin driver with standard exhaust Varoooom Varoooom? All arbitary and probably decided by a year 10 kid on work experience!
This must be put down as a non starter the MOT should suffice
Dear All, I live under a flight path for planes that leave Heathrow and can state the fact that some planes fly too low, both 2 and 4 engine ones and when they do pass over head, they are excessively noisy, far louder than any motor vehicle on the ground. This volume would trigger a response from a detector which would probably take a picture of a ground vehicle passing at that point.
If there were road works and someone was digging up the road, this would probably trigger the camera.
It would be extremely difficult to prove something other than the vehicle triggered the device, but why should we have to prove our innocence?
What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?
I would firstly like to say that if these noise cameras are also applicable to lorries then they would be fined every day.
A vehicle’s noise would also be louder under/near bridges as the sound would be amplified. Also, it’s not on the motorways but often on the side & main roads where the noise is loud because of being in enclosed-like areas where residents live. I am also wondering if the authorities will fine airplane companies for their extreme noise especially where there is a lot of air traffic?
I would firstly like to say that if these noise cameras are also applicable to lorries then they would be fined every day.
A vehicle’s noise would also be louder under/near bridges as the sound would be amplified. Also, it’s not on the motorways but often on the side & main roads where the noise is loud because of being in enclosed-like areas where residents live. I am also wondering if the authorities will fine airplane companies for their extreme noise especially where there is a lot of air traffic?
Chris Grayling in charge. What could possibly go wrong?
I live on a main road and although the motorbikes and some cars are extremely loud and very annoying, they are few and far between (far more Police, Ambulance and Fire engine sirens). I see no need for some of the excess noise made by certain bikes or souped up cars or even very loud music blaring out and I would like to see them regulated to a more acceptable limit.
I think this is actually a smoke and mirrors ruse for the tax collector police to ensure there is no limitation on where cameras can be installed. Once an acoustic camera is installed it will be clicking away as a dual purpose camera, it has to in order to try to identify the noisy vehicle. Speed cameras will then be placed absolutely anywhere under the guise of being noise cameras. Don’t try to tell me the Plod is going to miss out on such an opportunity to get round the law on speed cameras! Speed cameras are already being abused by local authorities and more cameras mean more surveillance and more of our activities being turned into data, sold for profit, profit we never see.
If it was april 1st this would be right up there as the biggest wind up.
It would be impossible to identify and then take a picture any vehicle making a noise, come on guys, think about it, lol
This is a strange one to me. Very peculiar I find. We have the Mot test anyway to pickup on exhaust problems. Majority of us would quickly get a noisy exhaust repaired or replaced. Only noise pollution are these kids on Modified motor bikes creating a racket. Very few of them compared to speeding and mobile phone offences. So my final view. it’s a waste of money and better spent on insurance and rd tax avoidance which has increased heavily since abolition of the visible windscreen disc.
It would not be popular with Insurance companies if cameras catch low engine capacity cars which sound like a lambo and are mainly driven by high insurance paying 17/18 year old drivers. Extra financial burdens may well be the straw, There is only so much blood in a stone and the authorities have taken the Lions share
If I get caught for speeding or having a noisy bike or vehicle then surely its my fault and should be brought to book over it. If you break the the Law it your own fault. There is never victimless crime however petty. I drive a Service Van approx 40,000 miles a year and got nicked in London for going down a restricted road, I payed the £60.00 fine, it was my fault. I dont see the problem with paying the fine. You say its a Stealth Tax by the Government, but what about the Stealth taxes you are paying to Adam Blair to allow you to break the law for your alleged Get Out of Jail Free Cards. HOW MUCH DOES THAT COST YOU. I have a BTST Unit, hav`nt used it for years, no need. Anyone want to buy it.
In answer to your question (a) I can confirm that these events do indeed happen.
I live next to a 30mph road and can’t open any windows because of extreme car noise – even with the windows closed there is still significant disturbance. The road itself is not busy, and most of the cars are not noisy, but some of the cars are *extremely* noisy – either supercars (e.g. lamborghini) or cars with modified exhausts. The offenders are clearly extremely anti-social individuals, some of them coming by night after night at the same time when people are asleep.
The advent of noise cameras can only be a good thing if it can help to stop some of these problems.
So, what happens if a group of bikers riding together through the camera. One has straight pipes and is noisy and the others don’t. I assume the camera will take a photo of all the bikes, so who gets the fine?