Hampshire PCC urges crackdown on noisy car exhausts

Donna Jones is urging the Government to crack down on illegal exhaust modifications and antisocial vehicle noise.

It is illegal to make a vehicle’s exhaust louder, but police have no enforceable roadside decibel limit to guide consistent action.

Donna Jones PCC (Image: OPCC)

Ms Jones said: "The noise caused by these modified motorbikes and cars is unacceptable and unbearable for many.

"Countless people have told me how the constant racket is affecting their ability to enjoy their homes and get a decent night’s sleep."

She said vague national guidance is hampering police enforcement.

She said: "A lack of clarity from government is making enforcement difficult and inconsistent.

"It’s why ministers need to give police forces an objective and enforceable decibel limit alongside standardised noise-measurement equipment."

She also called for tougher enforcement powers.

She said: "While noise cameras already exist, they need to be made a legal means of enforcement – issuing penalties to motorists caught with excessively loud, illegal exhausts."

Ms Jones says noise cameras could free officers to focus on other frontline duties.

The Department for Transport says the legal noise limit for most new cars is about 70 decibels.

EU regulations set motorcycle noise limits between 73 and 77 decibels.

Ms Jones said: "The DfT’s 2022 noise camera trials demonstrated that acoustic camera technology can successfully identify vehicles generating excessive noise.

"The technology exists. What is now needed is the policy framework and legislative backing to enable it to be used effectively."

She said clearer rules would help police enforce the law and deter illegal modifications.

She said: "Having a set roadside decibel limit and clear national guidance will not only help police and local authorities collect better evidence, but it will also act as a strong deterrent against illegal modification and anti-social motorists."

She has launched a public survey on how vehicle noise affects residents’ daily lives.

The survey will open at 8am on August 13, 2026, and close on September 1, 2026.

To take part, visit: survey.alchemer.eu/s3/91162017/OPCC-Survey-Exhaust-noise

The responses will help her make the case for national action.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police’s Roads Policing Unit uses operations such as Op Chromium to target speeding, antisocial driving and late-night car meets across the region.