Let's Reduce the Traffic Noise Pollution that's Ruining our Environment

The reduction in traffic due to the lockdown has given us a period of tranquility to enjoy the natural environment in the county. It seems a great shame if we don't do what we can to make this a permanent feature.

Anyone living within a few miles of A roads and some B roads is forced to endure an ever-increasing assault on what should be a peaceful Cornish environment. The problem is twofold and both aspects can be addressed.

First the road surfaces. Most road noise comes from vehicle tyres on the tarmac, it resonates for miles even after the vehicles have passed. But it's now possible to reduce this noise dramatically by resurfacing with material that transmits much less noise into the environment. I have family who lived close to a motorway in Kent and, initially, there was constant road noise. Then the council changed the surface and the noise reduced dramatically. You can often hear a significant difference at the moment when driving across different surfaces on our roads but the latest advances are much better. We all need deliveries and many of us use cars so we're unlikely to reduce the amount of traffic but we can do something to make the impact less severe and make Cornwall the peaceful place it deserves to be.

Second, there seems to be little or no policing of excessive noise from vehicles. They may pass an MOT but when someone winds up the throttle of a motorbike, the noise is often deafening. Clearly many vehicles are speeding excessively, you can hear that from the engines screaming but there no longer seems to be any action from the police to prevent the noise pollution, let alone the speeding. The A388 sounds like the Isle of Man TT most Sundays and around rush hour pretty much every day.

My hope for the future is that we can hear bird song instead traffic noise in beautiful Cornwall.