§ Mr. Weetchasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards the draft European Community Directive on Noise Emission from railway vehicles; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ButcherThe text of the draft directive in noise emissions from rail mounted vehicles was last discussed in Brussels at a Council working group held on 6 June 1984. At this meeting the United Kingdom presented a reasoned case why the text as proposed would not achieve its aim of improving the environment. It further argued that the major remedy for excessive railway noise lies in better track and rolling stock maintenance and attention to the topography of the line, all of which are within the power of member state actions without in any way presenting barriers to trade. An Article 100 directive was therefore unnecessary.
This argument was accepted by the EEC Commission and other member states with the result that this Directive is unlikely to be further pursued.