New noise camera trial comes to Bradford - where will it be in Keighley?

The first noise detecting cameras will be deployed in Fell Lane, Keighley, using a video camera and several microphones to accurately pinpoint excessively noisy cars 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 forces to fine drivers.

The trial will begin on Tuesday, October 18.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport said: “I am delighted that Bradford have managed to secure the trial of noise cameras. Anti-social driving causes real upset and harm. People should not have to put up with excessively noisy vehicles in their communities.

“We welcome the development of technology that could, in the future, help identify drivers who wilfully ignore noise laws and allow enforcement action to be taken against them.

“Hopefully the data collected in the trial goes some way to providing proper legislative governance for a wider UK roll out of the technology.” 

“We are pleased that we are also answering the needs of the community by hosting this trial."

Born in Bradford’s Shahid Islam, a senior research fellow at the Bradford Institute for Health Research, shared his reaction to the announcement. 

Road noise is known to contribute to health problems, such as heart attacks, strokes and dementia. 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.

Shahid Islam, pictured, is a senior research fellow at the Bradford Institute for Health Research (Image: Unknown)

Mr Islam told the Telegraph & Argus: “Excessively loud engines serve no purpose other than to generate noise pollution which is not good for health.

“They make our shared outdoor spaces feel unsafe, affect sleep quality and are often accompanied by aggressive driving.

“We have to find ways to tackle these issues if we genuinely want to improve people’s health and wellbeing.”

In 2018, a health impact study for Bradford looked into “socioeconomic inequalities in urban and transport planning related exposures and mortality”.

In the study, academics said: “A larger number of deaths (i.e. 253 and 145, respectively) could be prevented by reducing air and noise pollution levels well below the guidelines.”

The report added: “Chronic noise exposure is increasingly linked to adverse health effects.”

After the £300,000 trial in Bradford, the cameras will then travel to Bristol, Great Yarmouth and Birmingham.

The locations were chosen following a competition by the Department for Transport to find the loudest streets in Britain.

Extensive testing at a private test track facility took place to perfect the technology before the trial roll-out.

Now in the next phase, the locations were chosen based on the impact to local residents of illegal noisy vehicles.

The first noise detecting cameras will be deployed in Keighley, using a video camera and several microphones to accurately pinpoint excessively noisy cars as they pass by (Image: Canva, Pixabay)

MPs across the country applied for a camera to be set up in their local area.

If successful, the cameras could be rolled out nationwide.

Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “Rowdy road drivers beware - these new cameras will help the police clampdown on those who break the legal noise limits or use illegal modified exhausts to make excessive noise in our communities.

"We’ll be working closely with the local authorities and police to share any findings, and I hope that this technology paves the way for quieter, peaceful streets across the country."

Gloria Elliott OBE, Noise Abatement Society chief executive, added: “Excessively noisy vehicles and anti-social driving causes disturbance, stress, anxiety and pain to many. It is unsafe and disrupts the environment and people’s peaceful enjoyment of their homes and public places."

An example of car cruising event in Bradford (Image: UGC)

Atkins-Jacobs Joint Venture is acting as a technical consultant for the trials, providing acoustics expertise, design, modelling and asset management. The noise camera is designed and developed by MicrodB.

The noise detecting cameras were first introduced by the former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

Speaking at the time of the competition, the minister said: “For too long, rowdy drivers have been able to get away with disturbing our communities with illegal noisy vehicles.

“It’s time we clamp down on this nuisance, banish the boy racer and restore peace and quiet to local streets.”