HC Deb 10 June 1959 vol 606 cc968-70
6. Mr. de Freitas

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will inquire into the practicability of taxing motor vehicles in such a way as to take account of the noise they cause.

Mr. Nugent

I am afraid that the taxation of motor vehicles on a noise basis is not a practical proposition.

Mr. de Freitas

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that I am not suggesting the comparison of a very noisy motor cycle with a relatively silent Rolls-Royce? I am suggesting that there should be a financial incentive to manufacturers and users of very noisy vehicles, such as motor cycles, to make less noise and to have the machines designed in that way.

Mr. Nugent

I do not disagree with the thought behind the hon. Gentleman's suggestion, but it would be difficult to make progress in that way. I think that we must content ourselves by trying to make progress with more effective regulations about noise—and I think that there is a later Question about that—and enforcement.

21 and 22. Mr. de Freitas

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (1) what progress has been made in the study of the means by which the noise of motor vehicles can be reduced;

(2) what method is being used by his Department to measure the sound of motor vehicles.

Mr. Nugent

Our Department and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research are at present studying the best means of measuring noise from motor vehicles. This study includes ambient noise from buildings and so on. I cannot yet say when the results of the study will be available.

Meanwhile we have agreed with the manufacturers of new motor cycles conditions of test and recommended noise limits. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of this information.

Mr. de Freitas

I am very glad about the Minister's agreement with the manufacturers of motor cycles, but can the hon. Gentleman tell us whether the manufacturers will abandon their policy of making motor cycles deliberately and unnecessarily noisy so that they might please the local "milk bar cowboys" who ride these machines to give them a sense of power? Further, can the hon. Gentleman say whether the tests will distinguish between the noise of a heavy, rather powerful bus engine, and the staccato noise of a very much lower powered engine such as that of a motor cycle?

Mr. Nugent

The hon. Gentleman has asked a supplementary question which really pinpoints the difficulty of measuring noise. The nuisance of noise does not depend entirely on volume, but on the kind or tone of the noise. To date nobody has found any means of defining that. With regard to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, the manufacturers of both motor cycles and motor cars are very co-operative and anxious to bring their machines down to a reasonable noise level. Most of the trouble of noise is caused by those who buy these machines and remove most of the silencing equipment.