View report page

THE NOISE ABATEMENT ACT, 1960
This Act came into operation on the 27th November, 1960. It amends Section 66 of the
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1937 which makes provision for noise abatement
by reference to the nuisance provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936.
This amendment provides that
Local authorities will be able to require the abatement of a noise or vibration nuisance by
the service of an abatement notice on the person causing the nuisance or on the owner or occupier
of premises on which it arises and if the notice is not complied with it can be enforced by proceedings
in a magistrates' court. Apart from action by a local authority, three or more occupiers
of land or premises who are aggrieved by a noise or vibration nuisance may make a complaint to
a magistrate.
The Act does not apply to noise or vibration caused by aircraft, which are subject to other
statutory controls, nor to noise or vibration caused by statutory undertakers in the exercise of
their powers. In the case of noise or vibration caused in the course of a trade or business, it is
a defence in any proceedings to show that the best practicable means have been used for preventing
it and counteracting its effect.
No reference was made to vibration prior to the passing of the Noise Abatement Act.
Furthermore, Section 1(6) of the Noise Abatement Act substitutes "noise which is a nuisance"
for "excessive or unreasonable or unnecessary noise which is injurious or dangerous to
health" in Section 66 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1937.
Other sections of the Noise Abatement Act restrict the use of loud speakers in streets in
certain circumstances. These instruments however, do not constitute a noise problem in the
City.
The only complaints of noise which have been received in the City arise from the use of
compressors or drills in connection with demolition, rebuilding or street works. The majority of
the works in connection with which these complaints are made are statutory undertakings and,
therefore, exempted from the provision of the Act. In the remainder of the instances in which it
has been found impossible to secure reduction of noise it has been because "the best practicable
means have been used for preventing it and counteracting its effect" which as has been
said is a defence in any proceedings.
It is, however, very satisfactory to be able to report that when complaints have been
brought tothe notice of those responsible for making noise to such an extent to be a nuisance,
they have been most co-operative in making every endeavour to minimise the nuisance. Several
contractors have as a consequence of informal representations from officers of the Medical Officer
of Health's Department agreed to discontinue noisy activities during the night, possibly thereby
jeopardising their contracts, although knowing full well that they could not be compelled to do so
by law.
The Medical Officer of Health is glad of the opportunity to place on record in this Report
his appreciation of the consideration shqwn by these contractors in their voluntary practical
consideration of a small minority of the City Population.
RECEPTION TO DELEGATES TO THE TERCENTENARY
CELEBRATIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY
In connection with this Reception, the Medical Officer of Health was asked to arrange
"something scientific" in addition to the usual book display in the Library. With the valuable
help of Mr. W.R. McGrath, Senior Public Health Inspector, and the Department of Scientific and
Industrial Research, a most interesting display was arranged of smoke abatement apparatus for
the measurement of atmospheric pollution. Included in the exhibit was an ordnance survey map
indicating the smoke concentration in the atmosphere over the whole London Area. It demonstrated
that although the City (the first Local Authority in the country to declare the whole of
its area a smokeless zone) was surrounded by areas not so declared, a marked decrease in smoke
concentration resulted. It clearly showed that the atmosphere over the City compared very
favourably with those of suburban districts on the periphery of the London area.
There was also a display of very great enlargements of microscope slides, the one showing
normal, the other abnormal cells, to illustrate the working of the City of London Cancer Diagnostic
Centre at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Suitable explanations in large heavy type were put
on boards in connection with both exhibits.
Your Medical Officer has been thanked by the Chairman of the Reception Committee, Mr.
Charles G. Hayes, who said that the leading delegates from the Royal Society who had accompanied
him round the Library had expressed pleasure in these scientific exhibits and,further,
the Librarian had told him that there were considerably more people than there are normally in
the Library on similar occasions examining the various exhibits.
Thanks are due to Mr. McGrath and to the authorities at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, particularly
Mr. Beattie, the Gynaecological Surgeon who authorised the Cancer Centre display and
Dr. Canti, the Medical Officer of the Laboratory, who arranged it.
10