ACT will protect the peace, crack down on noisy vehicles

“ACT will crack down on noisy vehicles and increase penalties for drivers being a nuisance to neighbourhoods,” says ACT Tāmaki Candidate James Christmas.

“I’ve knocked on thousands of doors in recent months and have heard you loud and clear in Tāmaki: you want to turn down the volume. People should be able to sleep, relax and enjoy their homes without having their street turned into someone else’s racetrack.

“I can see the attraction for boy racers to come to Tāmaki, but it’s not fair on the families and working people who have their life disrupted just because they live in a great location in a beautiful part of Auckland.

“These kinds of disturbances are already illegal, but effective enforcement can depend on a Police officer happening to be in the right place at the right time. By the time a person makes a complaint and an officer shows up on the scene, the vehicle is normally long gone.

“Technology can solve that problem, and ACT will make it happen by:

1.⁠ ⁠Introducing noise cameras. ACT will establish a fleet of relocatable noise cameras that can be deployed in communities suffering persistent problems with excessively noisy vehicles.

2.⁠ ⁠Establishing an objective and enforceable noise standard. The current law relies on a largely subjective test, which is difficult to enforce automatically. ACT will introduce a clear roadside noise limit that approved noise cameras can measure.

3.⁠ ⁠For those who want to pump up the volume, we are going to pump up the penalty. ACT will increase penalties for excessive vehicle noise by ensuring it is treated consistently, regardless of whether the noise comes from equipment inside the vehicle or from the vehicle’s engine or exhaust, and is punished appropriately.

“Hard working Kiwis shouldn't be harassed and inconvenienced by people who can’t take personal responsibility for their noise. Noise cameras enable evidence of offending to be collected the moment the offence occurs.

“Pairing technology with clear standards and real consequences will give residents the peace and quiet they deserve and ensure the comfort of many isn’t sacrificed for the noise of a few.”

ACT's full policy document can be found here.