75% of householders in Milton Keynes and elsewhere would welcome noise cameras to stamp out ‘boy racers’ and illegal exhausts

Three-quarters of people living in Milton Keynes and elsewhere would welcome noise cameras on our roads, research has shown.

The survey by used car buying service ChooseMyCar saw seven out of 10 people say they would support speed cameras having noise detectors to catch and fine illegally noisy vehicles in cities.

In rural areas, more than two thirds of the respondents (67%) supported the move.

Culprits would face a fine of £100, which could rise to £1,000 in extreme cases.

The noise cameras would stamp out car racing and reckless driving that has caused a headache for some residents living near grid roads in MK. It would also cut down noise pollution.

A video camera photographs the vehicles and several microphones record sound to help identify road users who break the law by revving their engines unnecessarily or use illegal exhausts as they drive by.

The research saw that the strongest support, perhaps surprisingly, came from the 18 to 34 age range, with 74% of respondents saying they would welcome the rollout of noise cameras.

Interestingly, support was stronger from men than women with 75% of men asked saying they would welcome the move, compared to only 68% of women.

A pilot project to introduce noise cameras was carried out in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea in 2020 after residents raised concerns about the impact noisy vehicles had on their lives.

Since then almost 200 people have been fined, with no repeat offences. Now councils in Bradford, Bristol, Birmingham and some parts of Norfolk are set to follow suit and install similar cameras in a bid to stamp out ‘boy racers’.

.Founder of ChooseMyCar.com, Nick Zapolski, said that he was not surprised that more areas were planning to roll out the noise-monitoring devices.

“It’s not just about the noise that some vehicles - especially modified ones - make. Whilst that is undoubtedly annoying for road users and residents, it often comes with other anti-social behaviours,” he said.

“I believe that noise cameras could considerably discourage these sort of dangerous activities, such as racing and reckless driving, and that could save lives.”