'Noise camera' trials to detect rowdy drivers coming to Bradford, Bristol, Great Yarmouth and Birmingham

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Content source

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/noise-camera-trials-to-detect-rowdy-drivers-coming-to-bradford-bristol-great-yarmouth-and-birmingham

New technology will identify antisocial drivers and reduce noise pollution.

A new-age road camera designed to identify and track drivers who break the law by revving engines and using modified exhausts will be installed in Bradford today (18 October 2022), before travelling to South Gloucestershire, Great Yarmouth and Birmingham as part of a trial to clampdown on antisocial driving.

The Transport Secretary has confirmed these 4 locations will host the new ‘noise camera’ following a government-backed competition to tackle noise pollution on some of the loudest streets in Britain.

The new technology uses a video camera in conjunction with a number of microphones to accurately pinpoint excessively noisy vehicles as they pass by. This means that if drivers break the law by revving their engines unnecessarily or using illegal exhausts, they will be automatically detected. The camera takes a picture of the vehicle and records the noise level to create a digital package of evidence which can be used by local police to fine drivers.

Road noise is known to contribute to health problems, such as heart attacks, strokes and dementia, and the annual social cost of urban road noise, including lost productivity from sleep disturbance and health costs is estimated to be up to £10 billion.

The trials, backed by £300,000, start with the camera in Keighley, Bradford from today and will then be placed in the other 3 locations over the next 2 months.

'Noise camera' trials to detect rowdy drivers coming to Bradford, Bristol, Great Yarmouth and Birmingham

New technology will identify antisocial drivers and reduce noise pollution.

www.gov.uk

 

[Stopspying]

I heard a radio report on this yesterday. Apparently, the microphones will be housed in a tube/bar that can be mounted on a lamppost or similar suitable street furniture, with possibly 3 or 4 microphones in them. There is undoubtedly a problem with cars that have modified exhausts, the sort that emit very loud 'pops' and 'bangs' seemingly at random, but I have noticed that they seem to get switched off when passing somewhere that they might be recorded being anti-social. The sort of 'noisy motor' that certain well-known car programmes on TV seem to highlight.The UK already has an extremely high level of both local authority and business owned CCTVs, as well as many private users with it. Hardly any crime seems to occur without the police releasing a call out for doorbell/helmet/dachcam footage. There are already laws that restrict the noise levels that exhaust systems are supposed to emit. Years ago I recall seeing a noisy car being pulled over by traffic police, I'd be surprised to see this happening today though.

I see an upside to the move to trial these systems, but the cynic in me sees it as yet another step in the all-seeing, all-hearing state surveillance in the UK. I've not seen anything that re-assures me that a conversation that people have near where these microphones are set up will not be recorded. I'd like to be convinced that this will not be possible, but my skepticism comes to the fore here too.

 

[ForgottenSeer 69673]

A BIG LOL This would have never flown in the 60's and 70's when I grew up. We all had loud exhaust (Cherry Bombs) and big block motors.

EDIT: We also jacked up the rear end with air shocks and had to walk to school both ways uphill.