Brussels, 04/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 2 April, a new milestone was reached in the battle to reduce road traffic noise pollution by a quarter in the EU over the next twelve years when the European Parliament (EP) formally endorsed the compromise reached in trialogue talks on draft legislation to gradually reduce noise pollution in motor vehicles in order to protect public health and, at the same time, introduce an audible warning system for electric and hybrid cars.
The agreement introduces a labelling requirements and tight upper limits that will apply two, four, and ten years after the new regulation comes into force. The two-year phase-in will apply to new types of vehicles. The second and third to new manufacturer vehicles. The upper limits for standard cars will fall from 74 decibels at present to 68 dB in twelve years. More powerful cars will be allowed to be 9 dB noisier. The legislation reduces the cap for the most powerful lorries, those of more than 12 tonnes, from 81dB to 79dB. The rules acknowledge that noise nuisance also depends on the road surface and the tyres. For safety of pedestrians and cyclists, the legislation says that all new hybrid and electrical vehicles must be equipped with harmonised acoustic systems from 1 July 2019 onwards.
Mirozlav Ouzky (ECR, Czech Republic), who is negotiating for the European Parliament, said that this was the ideal compromise because it will help protect people's health without leading to a loss of competitiveness for the European car industry.
The vote paves the way for the EP to adopt the regulation in first reading on the noise of motor vheciels and replacement silencing systems (amending Directive 2007/46/EC and replacing Directive 70/157/EEC). This is the first change to the caps in noise levels since 1996 despite the increased traffic levels. (AN)