Anti-social driving and car noise
Residents who live close to the A331 in Surrey Heath are often disturbed at night due to excessively noisy vehicles using the road as a race track, and it has also been reported that there have been numerous car meets at the Watchmoor Park/Riverside Way Industrial Estate and the Meadows.
Michael has been in touch with the Department for Transport, Surrey Police and Surrey County Council on behalf of constituents, and is also aware that noisy and anti-social driving has previously been an issue in Farnborough, before it moved north to the A331 Watchmoor Park and the Meadows Business Park area. He understands that both Aldershot MP, Leo Docherty, and Sandhurst MP, James Sunderland, are also engaging with the relevant local authorities to tackle this problem.
*LATEST UPDATE* April 2024 – Michael received the following response from the Transport Secretary, and will continue to monitor the situation closely:
Thank you for your email of 8 February, regarding the Department’s noise camera trial and any potential future rollout of the technology. I appreciate your continued interest in this technology.
As set out in the Government’s recent Plan for Drivers, the Department intends to publish the findings of the trial shortly and issue guidance to local authorities setting out minimum requirements and best practice for the use of noise cameras.
The police have powers to deal with noisy vehicles on an ongoing basis. Under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 they can take action if they suspect a vehicle is being driven in a manner that makes excessive noise which is avoidable through reasonable driver care. In the same regulations, exhausts and silencers are required to be maintained in good working order and not altered so as to increase noise.
I would encourage you to bring such cases to the attention of the police to ensure they are given an appropriate priority.
February 2024 - Michael wrote to the Transport Secretary to ask for an update on the outcome of the DfT's noise camera trial, and if noise cameras would be considered for a wider rollout. Michael explained that he believes the A331 would benefit greatly from noise cameras.
September 2023 – Michael wrote to Cllr Kevin Deanus, Cabinet Member for Highways at Surrey County Council, to ask for an update on the action being taken to tackle the issue.
August 2023 – Surrey Heath’s Borough Commander provided a further update, and stated that the A331 is being looked at and discussed jointly by the highways teams at Surrey and Hampshire County Councils.
April and June 2023 - Michael requested an update from Surrey Heath’s Borough Commander regarding speeding and noisy vehicles on the A331, and he confirmed that the police have actively been involved in work with Watchmoor Park seeking to tackle car meets and vehicle ASB related activity.
October 2022 – Michael received a further update from Katherine Fletcher MP, Ministers for Roads and Regions, which is attached below. Unfortunately, Michael’s application has not been selected for the next stage of the trials, but he very much hopes that if the trials prove to be successful, noise cameras may be considered for wider rollout. If so, he will campaign for their use on the A331.
September 2022 – Michael received a response from the Transport Secretary, attached below, explaining that applications are still being reviewed.
August 2022 - Michael wrote again to the Transport Secretary to request an update on the progress of his nomination.
April 2022 - the Transport Secretary wrote to all MPs in England and Wales regarding the Department for Transport’s plans for roadside trials of noise camera technology, highlighting the opportunity for Surrey Heath to get involved. Following discussions with the Borough Commander of Surrey Heath and with Surrey County Council, Michael nominated a stretch of the A331 in Camberley, between the junction at the M3 and the Meadows roundabout/A30 London Road, for the noise camera trial. Michael felt that this stretch of road would benefit greatly from noise cameras, as a number of residents in this area are kept awake at night owing to excessively noisy vehicles.