Noisy vehicle checks planned for October

Roadside checks on noisy Guernsey vehicles are expected to begin in October, according to a leading island politician.

Deputy Adrian Gabriel, president of Guernsey's Environment and Infrastructure Committee, said the pilot scheme had been held up because civil servants did not have the power to stop vehicles and had to work alongside police officers.

The States agreed last year to introduce a decibel limit for vehicle exhausts, but a trial is needed before the new law can be brought into force.

Gabriel said: "We've had officers trained to do that in the pilot and noise testing because noise testing can be objective but you have to get it right."

Gabriel said officers had been working with Guernsey Police but it had been "a challenge to get the two to get together" because only police officers could stop vehicles at the roadside.

"They're trying to get something sorted for October," he said, suggesting staffing pressures in Home Affairs had contributed to the delay.

He said the overall problem may have eased in recent years, partly because manufacturers had moved away from noisier two-stroke motorbikes.

"It's still an issue for some people, so it is still an issue which does need addressing," he said.

The October pilot is expected to help determine how future exhaust noise limits will be enforced.

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