§ Mr. Lilleyasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest position on the Commission's proposals for reducing noise from motor vehicles as set out in European Community document number 8307/83; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI am pleased to report to the House that these proposals have now been agreed by the Council of Ministers. They provide for substantial reductions in the noise permitted from all categories of vehicle with four or more wheels, as set out in the following table:
Vehicle category Noise level in decibels (dB(A)) permitted under 1981 directive EC 81/334 permitted under 1984 directive EC 84/424 Cars 80 *77 Other light vehicles with gross weight (a) not more than 2 tonnes 81 *78 (b) not more than 3.5 tonnes 81 *79 Bus and coaches with engine power (a) less than 150 kw 82 80 (b) 150 kw or more 85 83 Lorries with engine power (a) less than 75 kw 86 81 (b) 75 kw to 149 kw 86 83 (c) 150 kw or more 88 84 * Increased by one decibel if the vehicle has a direct injection diesel engine. The new limits will come into force between 1988 and 1990, for cars, other light vehicles with petrol engines and buses and coaches. They will apply from 1 October 1988 to vehicles presented for type approval, and from 1 October 1989 to all new vehicles. These dates are later by one year for lorries and for light vehicles with diesel engines.
This new agreement maintains the trend towards quieter vehicles established by Community directives agreed in 1977 and 1981, now starting to be reflected in the design of new vehicles. Together with those directives the changes reduce by 9 decibels over as many years the permitted noise from heavy lorries—such a reduction is equivalent to nearly halving the perceived noise. For other classes of vehicle the reductions are around 6 to 7 decibels.