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MISCELLANEOUS
Noise Abatement
35complaints were investigated during the year, a decrease
of 31 on 1971 10 referred to commercial premises, 22 domestic,
3 industrial, 5 construction, roadworks, demolition, etc , 3 noisy
icecream chimes and 2 others
Two ice cream vendors were prosecuted under Section 2 of
the Noise Abatement Act, 1960 for operating musical chimes
during the prohibited periods Fines of £15.00 were imposed and
costs amounting to £5.00 were awarded to the Council
In the past two years spasmodic road traffic noise checks
have been undertaken by the Public Health Inspectors without
any real direction, but because of an accepted need to monitor
the obvious increase in traffic noise a more thorough investigation
was required. During this latter period the first concentrated
noise readings were undertaken on behalf of the Borouqh Engineer
in order to provide evidence for a public enquiry into the proposals
to convert a road into a dual carriageway by shortening
people's front gardens The readings obtained were produced at
the enquiry by the Health Inspector and they provided useful
evidence which was acceptable to all parties as an independent
record of the noise conditions applying at that moment of time
Towards the latter part of 1972 it was agreed that systematic
recording of road traffic noise should be undertaken throughout
the Borough and consultations with the Borough Engineer's
Division produced an excellent working agreement, whereby
noise level readings undertaken would, wnere desirable, be monitored
against a vehicle recording strip In addition, to assist the
Borough Engineer, it was agreed that special readings required
in conjunction with proposed road improvements would be given
priority As this work commenced the Department of the Environment
Circular 10/73 — Planning and Noise — was issued, setting
out standards, criteria and methods which have been closely
followed
The London Borough of Havering is a typical fringe borough
of London comprising of industrial and residential property The
borough is traversed by three trunk roads, the A 12, A 13 and
the A 127, conveying large volumes of traffic
The London Borough of Havering Noise Traffic Survey
commenced in December, 1972 with the object of assessing the
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