How Noise Rides Will Be Applied
Page 61
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
QPERATORS 'who are apprehensive about the Wilson report .,On Vehicle Noise will have a chance to air their opinions when Mr. MarPles, who is studying the report in detail, calls shortly for comments from " interested bodies:"
The general principle of controlling vehicle noise is, however, accepted and in due course regulations under the 1960 Road Traffic Act will be put before Parliament: An amendment to the Act to facilitate these changes was put into the Road Traffic Bill now 'passing through Parliament.
1 understand that,to start with, the Minister Will put the noise ":ceiling," so high that any vehicle exceeding it will scarcely have a leg tO stand on.
It is in tl:te gradual reduction, however, that operators Will have most interest. The report states quite bluntly that the present limit they propose for heavier vehicles is in fact the " lowest practicable" for commercial diesels at this moment. ..
As. the engine 'noise of these vehicles
is likely to become the predominant factor, 'and as comparatively little is known about how to reduce it, the manufacturers and operators of these vehicles hope there will be a long period of "marking time" while research catches up.
The report says—and Mr. Marples is bound to take note of it—that cost Of modification alone involved in a quick reduction of the limits might effectively ban diesels, sports cars and motorcycles from the road.
Existing noise meters are also imperfect, and in recommending a quick search for better ones, the Wilson report says quite clearly that technical faults could cause injustices for :some vehicles compared with others.
There is enough in this report for critics to get their teeth into at once, and all representations will be' fully considered.
• There is equally. no doubt, however, that regulation of noise, like smoke, is definitely something that makers and operators will have to cater for from now On.