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Residents affected by antisocial behaviour linked to noisy driving are being invited to suggest where a new noise-monitoring camera should be deployed across Devon and Cornwall.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has asked communities to highlight hotspots as Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez seeks to expand the use of the technology following national trials.
Devon & Cornwall Police currently operates a single noise camera positioned near Exmouth seafront, but further deployments will require close collaboration with local councils to ensure appropriate enforcement powers are in place.
Noise cameras combine Automatic Numberplate Recognition (ANPR) with directional microphones to capture sound levels and link excessive noise to specific vehicles. Once operational in an approved location, evidence gathered can be used by police to take enforcement action against drivers responsible for persistent disturbances.
Hernandez said she believes the initiative could “totally revolutionise” how authorities respond to chronic antisocial behaviour caused by noisy driving, provided strong partnership working is in place. “The technology is already proven; the police are now working with a local council to agree plans for how the evidence from the camera is used when it is operational,” she said.
She urged residents troubled by excessive engine noise or disruptive driving to report incidents to both the police and their local council, noting that community-submitted evidence will help inform decisions on where the camera should be deployed. Hernandez also encouraged anyone experiencing ongoing issues with noisy drivers to contact her office, which she said could help coordinate collaboration between local authorities and the police.
The introduction of noise cameras builds on a wider push by Devon & Cornwall Police to harness new technologies to improve road safety. The force partnered with the Vision Zero South West initiative to run the world’s first pilot of artificial intelligence cameras designed to identify impaired drivers. It has also deployed AI-enabled systems capable of detecting mobile phone use and failure to wear a seatbelt.
Members of the public can report vehicle-related nuisance and antisocial driving through the force’s Operation Snap platform, where video footage of suspected moving traffic offences can be uploaded securely online.
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