Minister Weighing Objection to Noise Regs.
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
THE Ministry of Transport is having second thoughts about the noise meter on which last year's draft regulations on vehicle noise were based.
While it is not ready to agree that the meter (which carries a British Standard specification) is not adequate for the job, the opinion now is that it could be improved for the Ministry's purposes.
As reported last week, Mr. Marples himself gave a hint that operators' objections had struck home when he told the Young Tories that excessive noise would be stamped out "if only we can get a meter which will enable us . . . to bring successful prosecutions ".
The main objections have not only been to the decibel levels which were pro posed, but also to the fact that the meter provides no built-in corroboration of a reading.
I now understand that the Minister is prepared to resolve some of the main objections raised, though it is still his firm intention to bring in these regs. as soon as possible.
When he does, it seems almost certain that the existing, well-known type of meter will be used initially. I was assured this week by the makers of this instrument that they are not at present working on any further developments specifically intended for measuring road vehicle noise; no permanent-record type of roadside meter currently figures in their plans, I understand.