Readers Have Responded to ’S Editorial Arguing That Noise Pollution Deserves Treatment As a Public-health Issue Rather Than

Readers have responded to the Guardian’s editorial (28 July) arguing that noise pollution deserves treatment as a public-health issue rather than a mere irritation. Mark Ebden of Frome, Somerset, says one obvious source of urban noise receives little attention: modified cars and motorbikes whose exhausts and engines have been made far louder than manufacturers intended. He contrasts the background hum of traffic with the explosive revving, popping and roaring produced by a small minority of drivers and riders, saying these vehicles can wake entire terraces, disrupt outdoor spaces and make life less pleasant for everyone.

Ebden is baffled by the lack of enforcement: excessively noisy exhausts are already unlawful, yet police action appears rare, and the MOT regime is inadequate because there is no routine objective decibel measurement comparable to testing for emissions, brakes or lights. The UK has trialled roadside noise cameras combining microphones with number-plate recognition, and similar systems operate elsewhere; rolling out the technology more widely would be a straightforward, visible and popular way to improve urban quality of life. Deana Heath of Liverpool, who is autistic and has misophonia, or extreme sensitivity to noise, says noise pollution has increased exponentially since the Covid pandemic.

To leaf blowers and automatic hand dryers – so loud she cannot use public toilets that have them – she adds public phone use and announcements in public places. The problem is so severe she now struggles to navigate public spaces, and she notes such pollution affects everyone, with considerable knock-on effects for wildlife. Edward Collier of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, a musician and composer, says it is not traffic or nightlife that upsets him but unasked-for music.

His brain does not allow for what other people call “background music”; for him, it is all in the foreground. He used to enjoy one-day international cricket matches, but musical “stingers” accompanying highlights such as a six or a wicket have led him to stop attending. Restaurants are the same: waiters often cannot turn down the piped racket because it is controlled elsewhere.

Sue Zlosnik of Holt, Wrexham, says loud music in shops causes considerable annoyance. Since moving to Wales, she has been disappointed that in this “land of song” even an upmarket food store involves an aural assault best described as nasal wailing. Chloë Thompson of Eynsham, Oxfordshire, argues that shrubs, trees and hedges are among the best sound barriers, as well as good wind breakers and air filters; they moderate temperatures and support mental health, and should be considered essential in urban environments.