A SNEAKY new “sound camera” has been launched to catch noisy drivers who blast music and rev their engines too loudly.
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, is one of four spots across the UK where the new high-tech gadget is being tested.
The new cameras use microphones to detect motorist drivers who unnecessarily blast music or use illegally modified exhaust.
The cameras can automatically detect when the vehicles break the noise limits and will issue real-time reports to the police.
The noise camera can differentiate an engine’s sound from other noises.
This eliminates the risk of the camera penalising drivers for a loud sound coming from elsewhere.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service confirmed that Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner is eager to test these cameras in other locations within the county.
Police and crime commissioner (PCC) Sarah Taylor said: “I am interested in what lessons can be learned from the trial, which has been extremely useful.
“This has a negative effect on people across Norfolk and I have received lots of correspondence about this form of anti-social behaviour.
“We will use this to explore how this technology could be used more widely across the county in the coming months.”
The new “sound cameras” in Great Yarmouth have already caught a driver, resulting in a £100 fine and points on their license.
A further 26 motorists have been sent warning letters.
Road noise is known to contribute to health problems, such as heart attacks, strokes and dementia, yet there is no requirement for MOT testers to use decibel meters to check exhaust noise levels.
Based on a DEFRA report, the annual social cost of urban road noise – including lost productivity from sleep disturbance, is up to £10bn.
A government white paper found that people living in deprived areas are up to three times more likely to complain about noise than those in less disadvantaged locations.
AA president Edmund King said: “Excessive noise from modified cars used by ‘street racers’ or ‘pimp my ride’ racers are normally associated with defined areas where these individuals meet.
“Whilst this new noise technology can be targeted at known hotspots, it remains to be seen whether this just encourages the racers to find a street with no cameras.
“There is no doubt that anti-social excessive noise can cause health problems so targeting the culprits will be welcomed by local residents.”
John Stewart, who chairs the campaign group UK Noise Association, said: “For many years we have had complaints from residents about excessively noisy vehicles.
“They will all be hoping to prove that their street is one of the noisiest so they can get the first batch of cameras.”
It comes after a new AI speed camera rolled out on UK roads can “see inside your car” and recognise “every passenger” before sending pictures of them to the police.
And drivers have been warned that speed cameras – boasted to be 100 per cent accurate – could be rolled out across the UK soon.
What are noise cameras?
Noise cameras are used to manage noise pollution in urban areas.
The devices are equipped with audio sensors and an automated number plate recognition (ANPR) system, like a speed camera, to identify vehicles with above-average noise levels.
The technology was first trialled as part of a £300,000 scheme that ended earlier this year – roads in Birmingham, Bradford, Gloucestershire and Great Yarmouth all featured in the study.
For most new cars, the maximum legal sound limit is around 70 decibels (dB). It’s now illegal to modify a car’s exhaust to make it louder than this.
The Vehicle Certification Agency (VHA) website says that by 2026,
the limit for most new passenger cars will be 68dB. For new motorcycles, the legal sound limit is between 73 and 77dB. For trucks, the legal sound limit is around 81dB.
