Tighter noise regs follow quiet lorry
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
TIGHTER NOISE controls on heavy goods vehicle may come sooner than expected, now that Foden's QHV (see CM, February 9) has shown the way.
Reviewing current European noise standards, Transport Under Secretary J9hn Horam revealed to the Commons that his department had been pressing for more stringent controls since last December. He thought that the noise regulations in the pipeline were not stringent enough in the longer term, and said that the European Commission had agreed to consider tightening them up as soon as possible.
Mr Horam pointed out that for EEC type approval purposes the limits at present agreed would be mainly applicable from April 1980.
But regulations were now being prepared to make them compulsory for all new vehicles manufactured after October 1982 and brought into use after April 1983.
A limit of 86 dB (A) was proposed for goods vehicles with a gross weight of over 35 tonnes, with the exception of those over 12 tonnes and 200bhp. For these a limit of 88 dB (a) was proposed.
He noted that the level of 86 dB(A) was comparable, allowing for differences in test procedure, with the general limit of 85 dB(A) recommended by the Wilson Committee.