EU announces plan to make cars and lorries quieter

The European Commission has announced plans to tighten noise limits for cars, lorries and buses with a proposal expected within weeks and by September at the latest. Environmental and health organisations have welcomed the Commission’s announcement but called for standards that go much further towards World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations for avoiding dangerous impacts on health from traffic noise pollution.

Philippe Jean, acting director of the European Commission’s Enterprise Department, told a conference organised by Transport & Environment (T&E), the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and the Health and Environment Alliance (Heal) (1) that the Commission plans to cut noise emissions from cars by 4 decibels and from lorries by 3 decibels. The new limits would come into force within four years of a new Vehicle Noise Directive being agreed, he said.

Read the complete press release on the T&E website here

http://www.transportenvironment.org/News/2011/5/EU-announces-plan-to-make-cars-and-lorries-quieter/

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