Opinion: Ditch ‘noise cameras’ and redouble efforts to stop fraudulent MOTs

GW columnist, Andy Parsons reacts to new technology which promises to identify "antisocial drivers and reduce noise pollution"

Opinion: Ditch ‘noise cameras’ and redouble efforts to stop fraudulent MOTs
Image: Bigstock.

I read recently on Garage Wire about a new type of camera, designed to catch Johnny Boyracer in his lowered XR2 with the quattro port exhaust system wheel spinning his way down the high street at 9 o’clock on a Sunday.

Andy Parsons of Shortfield garage in Surrey.

The “noise cameras” will initially be rolled out in four locations following a government-backed competition to tackle noise pollution on some of the loudest streets in Britain.

Using new technology, a video in conjunction with a number of microphones will pinpoint excessively noisy vehicles as they pass by.

If drivers break the law by revving engines unnecessarily or using illegal exhausts, the camera takes a picture and records the sound which can be used by local police to fine drivers.

£300,000 is being spent on these trials, starting with Keighley in Bradford, then three other locations over the next two months, decided based on the impact to local residents of illegal noisy vehicles.

Now this is marvellous technology I must admit but really, do we need to spend £300,000 on it?

Maybe it is a massive problem? I don’t live in a city or large town with anti-social behaviour on my doorstep.

I do hear the odd supercar or bike accelerating and slowing down through the Hindhead tunnel, hardly enough to force me to call the police.

There must be though alternative courses of action.

As these cars are likely going to be over three years old, they would have been through the ministry test.

Maybe the DVSA could look a little closer at those test centres that repeatedly pass vehicles that contravene the MOT regulations?

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