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108
NOISE
The intrusion of noise from industrial and commercial installations,
from mobile ice cream vans, from road constructional and similar works
and from the activities of neighbours, continued to give rise to complaint.
During 1968 sixty complaints concerning noise problems were
received, an increase of ten over the previous year. All of these were dealt
with by the giving of advice or by informal action. Where appropriate, the
firm concerned was advised to utilise the services of a noise consultant. As
noise producing activities became more noticeable when the general
background noise drops, investigations are often necessary during the
evening or at night.
In no case was it necessary to take statutory action under the provisions
of the Noise Abatement Act 1960 or the appropriate byelaws of Good
Rule and Government.
In the summer of 1968 posters publicising the problem of noise were
displayed on public notice boards throughout the Borough and leaflets
offering advice on this subject were placed in the public libraries and in the
Council's Information Office.
Attention was given again to the noise created by the use of unsilenced
road breaking equipment and noisy and inefficient compressor units. In
addition to the sixteen complaints received, action was taken on ten other
occasions when unsilenced or inefficiently silenced equipment was found
to be in use.
The Minister of Housing and Local Government called the attention
of local authorities to the question of noise control on building sites and an
advisory leaflet on this subject was issued by the Minister of Public
Building and Works. Before this, however, an appropriate clause had been
included in civil engineering and similar contracts let by the Council. The
Council also resolved during the year to draw the attention of the statutory
undertakers to the need to ensure that road breaking equipment used by
themselves or their contractors are suitably silenced as far as is practicable.
The use of ice cream chimes outside the permitted hours, or,
unreasonably during these hours, continued to be troublesome although
it is surprising to note that only three complaints were received on this
subject throughout the year.
The following is a summary of the complaints received:—