New independent polling from Opinium, commissioned by ITS UK and supported by noise camera providers Intelligent Instruments, has shown that a large majority of the public (69%) support measures to make it easier to enforce noise limits on road vehicles.
The polling is published alongside a new report, setting out key recommendations for the Government to support the use of noise camera technology in the UK.
A noise camera is a device used to identify excessively noisy vehicles and where necessary, issue a fine to deter drivers from driving in an anti-social manner. The technology is based on sensors composed of either microphones or radar, that pinpoint a noisy vehicle as it passes. The camera will then take a recording, with automated number plate recognition (ANPR), to identify the vehicle and to create a package of evidence for use by the relevant authority.
The findings of the independent survey of 2,050 individuals across the UK, show that:
- There is strong support for measures to make it easier to enforce against excessively noisy vehicles, with 69% in support, and 16% opposing. Support is high across different regions of the UK, age groups and voting intentions.
- Awareness of noise camera technology is low, with two thirds of the public (67%) having never heard of them; 17% have heard but don’t know any details, and a tenth know at least a bit about noise cameras (10%). Among those with access to a vehicle, awareness remains low at 28%;
- However, when noise cameras are explained to respondents, support for their further roll out is high with 62% in support, and 20% opposing; and
- Half think public awareness of laws around excessively noisy vehicles and their enforcement is too low (50%) with only a fifth thinking it’s ‘about right’ (20%).
The survey was carried out by Opinium, an award-winning strategic insight agency with offices in London, New York, Amsterdam, and Cape Town, offering global reach. The polling was supported by ITS UK Members Intelligent Instruments, who are the pioneers of noise camera technology. Their Soundvue systems are used in London and across four continents to detect excess noise from nuisance vehicles.
The full results from the poll can be found here or to download the full report click here.