HL Deb 15 December 1976 vol 378 cc1009-10WA
Lord BROUGHSHANE

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in view of the stated inability of the police to enforce the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1973 in so far as they concern excessive noise, they will direct their attention both to the manufacturers of replacement exhaust systems whose products frequently do not conform to original specifications and to the importers of notoriously noisy small Japanese motor bicycles.

Baroness BIRK

I do not think that the expense and the complex administrative procedures which would be necessary to establish a regime to test and approve replacement exhaust systems could be justified by the marginal improvement in noise levels which might result from such an arrangement. Government strategy, as the noble Lord was informed on 16th November, is to require reductions in the maximum permitted noise levels for all vehicles at their design and manufacture stage.

I am not aware of any small Japanese motor bicycles which do not meet the noise levels currently prescribed in the regulations.