Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to reduce noise pollution emitted from car exhausts.

Technical standards for noise for new cars are set at an International level by both the European Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Under these technical regulations the noise limits for new models of passenger car were reduced by 2 decibels in 2016, and will be further reduced by 2 decibels in 2020 and again in 2024.

Once a car is in service, UK regulations require exhausts and silencers to be maintained in good working order and not altered so as to increase noise.

The Department for Transport has commissioned research into enforcement measures and technologies with the potential to combat excessive noise from road vehicles.