§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of Regulation 97 of the 1986 Road Vehicle Regulations to combat noise pollution emanating from car stereos. [170208]
§ Caroline FlintRegulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 provides that no motor vehicle shall be used on a road in such a manner as to cause any excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care by the driver. I understand from the Association of Chief Police Officers that the police find the provision effective to deal with noisy car stereos. When enforcing the offence, police officers will give an oral warning to the driver, issue a fixed penalty notice or report for prosecution as appropiate.
§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the powers available to the police to combat noise pollution emanating from car stereos. [170209]
§ Caroline FlintRegulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 prohibits the use of a vehicle emitting avoidable excessive noise.
If in a particular case playing a stereo at excessive volume amounted to driving without reasonable consideration for others contrary to Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and was causing or was likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance, the driver may be liable to having his vehicle seized by the police under the provisions of Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002.