Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Noise Cameras

Thursday 19 May 2022 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Further trials of the latest noise camera technologies have been announced to assess their effectiveness.
  • Members of Parliament are encouraged to submit applications for noise camera trials in their local areas.
  • The noise camera trials will aim to demonstrate whether the technology can effectively enforce noise reduction in various environments.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Flick Drummond Con
Environment
Context

The MP raises concern over noise issues caused by loud engines and exhausts in their constituency. The question addresses the steps taken to tackle this problem.

Question

What steps he is taking to tackle the use of loud engines and exhausts?

Answer from Robert Courts

Following encouraging initial research, further trials of the latest noise camera technologies have been announced to assess their effectiveness, and Members House are encouraged to submit applications for a trial in their local area.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment on Meon Valley or other villages is not provided

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Q2 Esther McVey Con Tatton
Transport
Context

The MP supports the Government's forthcoming acoustic camera trial and has already submitted an application for a trial on the A34 bypass through Wilmslow in her constituency. She asks about additional trials if initial applications are not successful.

Question

I welcome the Government's forthcoming acoustic camera trial, so much so that I have already submitted an application for a trial on the A34 bypass through Wilmslow in Tatton, although I hear that competition is stiff because of the number of applications submitted. Although I do not expect the Minister to give me advance notice of the result of Tatton's application, if even places such as the A34 bypass through Wilmslow are not successful, will he consider having more trials in more places?

Answer from Robert Courts

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for her interest in the scheme and for highlighting the nuisance of noisy vehicles in her constituency. We will be carefully reviewing all the applications received, and we will choose four sites that represent a wide range of urban and rural environments across England and Wales. We will then consider the results of those trials.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment on additional trials is not provided

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Q3 Flick Drummond Con
Environment
Context

The MP raises concerns about noise issues caused by illegally modified motorcycle exhausts in Meon Valley, and enquires whether this area will be included in the noise camera trial.

Question

Villages in Meon Valley, including those along the A32, are blighted by noise from illegally modified motorcycle exhausts, so I am pleased the Minister has explained that the noise camera trial will move forward. Will Meon Valley be included in the trial to put an end to this unacceptable blight on communities in my constituency?

Answer from Robert Courts

My hon. Friend is right to raise the blight on her constituents, and I entirely understand why she does so. The noise camera trials will demonstrate whether the technology can be an effective enforcement tool that enables the police and local authorities to tackle the excessively noisy and illegally modified vehicles to which she refers. I know she will work with her local authority to apply for a trial in the best way possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment on Meon Valley being included is not provided

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Q4 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Northern Ireland
Context

The MP thanks the Minister for his answers and enquires about sharing the findings of the pilot scheme with the Northern Ireland Assembly and Ministers, as it could benefit them.

Question

I thank the Minister for his answers. The pilot scheme has a target of picking up excessive noise, which has an impact on people's hearing over time that they might not notice. At the conclusion of the pilot scheme, will he share that information with the Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Ministers? I feel the findings of the pilot scheme could benefit us back home in Northern Ireland, too.

Answer from Robert Courts

The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point. The enforcement of such matters is devolved, which is why we are doing the trials in just England and Wales, but of course we will talk to the devolved Administrations to make sure the results are shared so that we can, if possible, roll this out across the UK.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment on sharing findings with Northern Ireland is not provided

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