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119
NOISE
During 1969 fifty-seven complaints concerning noise problems were
received, three less than in the previous year. With one exception, where
a statutory notice under Section 1 of the Public Health (Recurring
Nuisances) Act, 1969 was served, 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.
During the summer months the use of ice cream chimes outside the
permitted hours continued to be troublesome although, once again, the
number of complaints (5) was surprisingly low. Undoubtedly, the careless
use of such advertising appliances causes considerable annoyance to some
parents of young children particularly when a number of ice cream
vendors visit the same area during the course of an evening. In an endeavour
to control this, all the ice cream vendors known to be operating
trading vehicles in the area were circularised and their attention drawn
to the relevant provisions of the Noise Abatement Act, 1960. In addition,
letters were sent to four traders who had been found to operate chimes
outside the permitted hours.
The noise created by the use of unsilenced road breaking equipment
and noisy and inefficient compressor units continued to receive attention.
In addition to the seven complaints received, action was taken on seven
other occasions when unsilenced or inefficiently silenced equipment was
found to be in use. During the year a letter enclosing a copy of an advisory
leaflet, issued by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works, was sent
to all building and engineering contractors known to operate in this area.
It is satisfying to note that a higher proportion of road breaking equipment
is being fitted with silencing equipment either by the use of mufflers
or by the use of the later types of equipment on which the exhaust ports
are fitted with an integral silencer. More compressor units fitted with
improved silencing equipment are coming into use and this, alone,
assists in reducing the overall noise emitted during road works.