The Commission has published its long-awaited proposals on reducing noise from cars, vans, buses and lorries, but the vast majority of cars already meet the first stage of the stricter limits, and almost a quarter meet the second stage. T&E says the proposals should have gone ‘farther and faster’, and has called for a third stage in the timetable in order to create an incentive for quieter vehicles.
This two page briefing examines the EU's proposal to revise vehicle noise standards, with T&E's suggestions for how they could be improved to better protect health.
Germany will present a proposal for international vehicle noise standards at the next UNECE noise meeting on 19-21 September 2011. The German proposal would create some important loopholes, which means significant action will not be asked of the worst offenders: heavy lorries and high-powered cars.
A study ordered by the Commission has recommended the EU’s approach to regulating car and van emissions should be changed, as it is not helping to keep the environmental impact of road vehicles to a minimum.
This report summarises the latest evidence of the effect of traffic noise on the health and wellbeing of Europeans, and gives policy recommendations on how to reduce noise.
The climate on limiting the speed of vans appears to be changing. Following a survey last year that showed Germans are in favour of limiting the top speed of vans, a survey in Italy has come to similar conclusions. T&E has called on the Commission to show more speed in preparing its proposals for van speed limiters.
Nine in ten Italians are in favour of vans being fitted with compulsory speed limiters according to a survey by Doxa, an Italian market research company, on behalf of three environmental organisations (1). The groups, along with European sustainable transport campaigners Transport & Environment, are calling on the EU to make speed limiters for vans mandatory as soon as possible.
A half-day event co-organised by Transport & Environment, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) & Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)
MEPs last month approved fuel efficiency standards for vans, just as the van industry, which had lobbied hard for the standards to be weakened because of the economic crisis hitting the automotive industry, gave indications that the crisis was ending.
Spain is reducing the cost of commuter and short-distance rail tickets and has cut its motorway speed limit from 120 km/h to 110 to help people save money following the sudden rise in oil prices following the recent upheavals in the Arab world.