Driving law plans could see nationwide overhaul of roads due to 'serious quality of life issue'

Felix Reeves
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:28:59 +0000

An MP has called for more to be done to address the noise on certain roads, following complaints from residents and fears that road surfaces are making the problem worse.

Melanie Onn, MP for Great Grimbsby and Cleethorpes, spoke in Parliament in favour of banning the use of road surfacing materials which "generate in-vehicle noise levels above a specified maximum".

The calls from the Labour MP would require the resurfacing of existing roads which generate in-vehicle noise above a certain level, according to the Road Surfaces (Maximum Noise Levels).

She highlighted the A180, which passes through her constituency, as being a particularly noisy and critical stretch of road.

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Ms Onn described it as a "serious quality of life issue", adding that it was not a "minor irritation" that people shouldn't have to deal with on a daily basis.

Even when the road was opened as an extension to the M180 in 1983, it was branded the "noisiest road in the United Kingdom".

Data from National Highways states that there are around 400 miles of concrete roads on the strategic road network, making up around four per cent of motorways and A roads in England.

A study in July 2025 found that tyre and road noise levels on the concrete sections of the A180 were generally in the range of 106 to 108 dB - roughly the same level as a nightclub or a chainsaw.

Ms Onn added: "The basic principle behind my Bill is very simple: road surfaces should be judged not only on whether they remain structurally passable, but on whether they are fit for modern use, which means safer, smoother and, yes, quieter.

"The Bill would create a framework for setting a maximum acceptable noise level for road surfaces.

"It would prevent the continued use of surfacing materials that breach that standard, and it would require existing roads that exceed it to be resurfaced."

There has been a concerted effort from campaigners to crack down on noisy roads, as well as noise from motorists and their vehicles.

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Some areas have already tested so-called "noise cameras", including Kensington and Chelsea Council, which installed the acoustic cameras across the Royal Borough.

A pilot programme operated on Sloane Street and Pont Street between September and December 2020, saw the cameras triggered almost 2,000 times.

During that time period, the council issued 163 fines and 69 warnings to drivers whose loud vehicles triggered the acoustic devices.

The council acknowledged that not all triggers were a result of noise and anti-social driving, with blue light vehicles and lorries also triggering the devices.

Following the initial trial, additional funding through the Neighbourhood Community Levy was confirmed, extending the scope of the crackdown.

In an update in October 2024, the council stated that it had issued almost 1,000 fines thanks to the noise cameras on Holland Road, Holland Park Avenue, Kensington High Street and Sloane Street.

Councillor Johnny Thalassites, who represents the Holland ward, said: "It is not acceptable for boy-racers to surpass 100dB in their vehicles, the same volume as a jet engine at take-off.

"This makes it almost impossible for residents to get a good night's sleep and can affect people's health."