The Department for Transport has announced that four locations in England will test noise-detecting traffic cameras in an effort to crack down on "boy racers" who rev engines and use illegal exhausts, according to a report by The Guardian.
Before being implemented in Bristol, Great Yarmouth, and Birmingham over the course of the following two months, the so-called noise cameras will be set up on the side of the road in Bradford on Tuesday.
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Noise Cameras
In order to detect drivers who violate the law by revving their engines excessively or using illegal exhausts, a video camera will take pictures of the vehicles and many microphones will record sound.
The government has promised to invest £300,000 in the technology, which was tested on a private track. It will be used to produce a digital package of evidence that police may use to penalize motorists.
The declaration follows the introduction of a government-sponsored competition in April to pinpoint some of the worst-affected regions. Parliamentarians submitted applications to have the cameras installed in their districts, and the winning areas were chosen based on the seriousness of the issue, as per The Guardian.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the transport secretary, warned raucous motorists to be careful because these new cameras will assist the police crackdown on people who violate the law's noise restrictions or use illegally modified exhausts to produce excessive noise in several neighborhoods.
Atkins-Jacobs Joint Venture, a technical consultant for the trials, aimed to reassure drivers that the cameras would be highly targeted, focusing solely on individuals producing excessive noise.
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Noise Pollution
There has been evidence linking noise pollution to stress, cardiovascular disease, strokes, and dementia. Environmental noise reduces the number of healthy life years in western Europe by at least 1m, according to estimates from the World Health Organization.
According to UK government statistics, the yearly social cost of urban traffic noise is estimated to be around £10 billion. This cost includes lost productivity due to sleep disruption and healthcare costs.
The installation of noise cameras was warmly received by the Noise Abatement Society. Gloria Elliott, the charity's chief executive, warned that loud cars and rude drivers create "disturbance, stress, anxiety, and pain to many."
"It is unsafe and disrupts the environment and people's peaceful enjoyment of their homes and public places. Communities across the UK are increasingly suffering from this entirely avoidable blight. The Noise Abatement Society applauds rigorous, effective, evidence-based solutions to address this issue and protect the public," Elliott said in a statement with The Guardian.
Two months' worth of trials will be held across the nation. If proven effective, the cameras might be installed throughout the country.
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
