§ Mr. Peter M. Jacksonasked the Minister of Transport why her new draft regulations on vehicle noise permit lorries to be noisier than recommended by the Wilson Committee in 1962.
§ Mr. SwinglerThe limits proposed in the new regulations are lower than those recommended by the Wilson Committee except for heavy goods vehicles, for which a limit four decibels higher than that suggested by the Wilson Committee is proposed.
Two decibels are accounted for by changes in the methods of testing. A vehicle which made 85 decibels under the test procedure accepted at the time of the Wilson Committee would register 87 decibels under the new testing procedure.
The further difference of two decibels is necessary initially because it would not be reasonable to require some of the heavy commercial vehicles now in production to comply initially with the Wilson Committee levels since they would require major redesign. The level now 152W proposed is in line with that approved by the Economic Commission for Europe. My right hon. Friend will be proposing more stringent standards to the Commission.