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Mr. Sainsbury
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what decibel level standards for different categories of vehicles are (a) enforced and (b) proposed in other EEC countries.
Mr. William Rodgers
Detailed information on all noise limits applying cannot be readily made available in view of differences of categorisation and test methods. However, EEC Directive 70/157 laid down noise limits for type approval of new motor vehicles, and most new vehicles now comply with those limits. Last year Directive 77/212 imposed more stringent limits, and the two sets of limits are compared in the table below. The new limits will apply fully for EEC type approval purposes from 1st April 1980 with the exception of vehicles in the sixth category for which the date is 1st April 1982.
EEC VEHICLE NOISE LIMITS | ||
Decibels (A) | ||
Vehicle category | Under 1970 Directive | Under 1971 Directive |
1. Passenger vehicles with not more than 9 seats (including the driver) | 82 | 80 |
2. Passenger vehicles with more than 9 seats and a gross weight of not over 3½ tonnes | 84 | 81 |
3. Goods vehicles with a gross weight of not over 3½ tonnes | 84 | 81 |
4. Passenger vehicles with more than 9 seats and a gross weight of over 3½ tonnes | 89 | 82 |
5. Goods vehicles with a gross weight of over 3½ tonnes | 89 | 86 |
6. Passenger vehicles with over 9 seats and having an engine power of 200 HP (DIN) or over | 91 | 85 |
7. Goods vehicles with a gross weight of over 12 tonnes and an engine power of 200 HP (DIN) or over | 91 | 88 |
EEC NOISE LIMITS FOR MOTOR CYCLES | |
Category by engine size | Decibels (A) |
Up to 80cc | 78 |
Over 80cc and up to 125cc | 80 |
Over 125cc and up to 350cc | 83 |
Over 350cc and up to 500cc | 85 |
Over 500cc | 86 |