• Website offers a tool in fighting more delays to tyre noise law

    T&E has a new toy on its website! It is a demonstration of tyre noise, and is all part of efforts to highlight how much more could be done to reduce the disruption caused by road transport to people living near busy roads.

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    Contrary to what many believe, the majority of noise from road traffic comes not from engines but from the noise generated by tyres rubbing on surfaces. The newer tyres reduce noise to more than half the noise level permitted under existing EU legislation.

    To find the demonstrations, go to www.transportenvironment.org and click on the Transport Noise icon or click here.

    DIRECTIVE DELAYED

    Such publicity for low-noise tyres seems increasingly necessary, as the Commission has again delayed the directive that will speed up the introduction of quieter tyres.

    The current directive (2001/43) specified that it had to be revised by mid-2004, but despite a feasibility study presented to the Commission last year which said there were no obstacles to stricter tyre noise limits, no proposal from Brussels has emerged.

    Last month Brussels announced that the directive would be subsumed into a general directive on tyres, along with requirements for rolling resistance, tyre pressure monitoring systems, and safety aspects (wet grip and aquaplaning performance). This follows the decision to raise the CO2 emissions target for new cars from 120 g/km to 130, with the remaining 10 g/km made up of “parallel measures” one of which is correct tyres.

    T&E has been advised not to expect a proposal until September.

    This news story is taken from the April 2007 edition of T&E Bulletin.