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FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1976
MORE ANTI-NOISE MEASURES TO BE INTRODUCED
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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, MR. ALAN ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT, TODAY (FRIDAY) CALLED FOR PUBLIC CO-OPÉRATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST NOISE POLLUTION.
SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF KOWLOON, MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT POINTED OUT THAT NO AMOUNT OF LEGISLATION IS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC CO-OPERATION.+
+WITH IMPROVED AFFLUENCE LEADING TO GREATER USE OF NOISE PRODUCING EQUIPMENT AND APPLIANCES, THE PUBLIC HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE AN ALMIGHTY DIN, IT IS ALSO WITHIN THE POWER OF EACH AND EVERYONE OF US TO MAKE A LITTLE LESS NOISE IF WE ONLY PUT OUR MIND TO IT - IF WE DO, OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORT WOULD RESULT IN A VERY DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT, HE EMPHASISED.
MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT STRESSED THAT THE REDUCTION OF
NE IGHBOURHOOD NOISE +WAS VERY MUCH IN THE HANDS OF THE PUBLIC AND A GENERAL AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO AVOID UNNECESSARY NOISE WOULD BE FAR MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ANY AMOUNT OF RULES AND REGULATIONS.
HE RECALLED THAT A CAMPAIGN WAS LAUNCHED LAST YEAR AGAINST SUCH NOISES CAUSED BY ELECTRIC GUITARS, CASSETTE TAPE PLAYERS, BANGING SAUCEPANS AND THE CLATTER OF MAHJONG TILES.
HE NOTED THAT MOST OF THESE NEIGHBOURHOOD NOISES WERE COVERED BY VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE, IN PARTICULAR THE SECTION THAT IMPOSED A GENERAL BAN ON EXCESSIVE NOISE FROM 11 P.M. TO 6 A.M., THE NEXT DAY.
+CONSTRUCTION NOISE,+ HE SAID, +GAVE RISE TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS.+
ON THE ADVICE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (EPCOM), HE DISCLOSED, AN AMENDMENT TO THE REGULATIONS WAS BEING DRAFTED TO EXTEND THE BAN ON PILING FROM 7 P.M. TO 7 A.M. THE NEXT DAY AS WELL AS ALL DAY ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
IT WAS ALSO THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO ADD TO THIS BAN ALL NOISY ITEMS OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, HE SAID.
+ALSO UNDER CONSIDERATION IS THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING A SYSTEM OF TYPE APPROVALS, OR SOME OTHER SYSTEM TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT WHICH EMBODIES NOISE SUPPRESSION DEVICES OR FUNCTIONS REASONABLY QUIETLY, HE SAID.
TURNING TO TRAFFIC NOISE', MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID THAT THERE WERE PLANS TO GREATLY INCREASE THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT'S CAPACITY TO INSPECT VARIOUS TYPES OF VEHICLES.
ON AIRCRAFT NOISE, HE SAID MEASURES TO DEAL WITH IT INCLUDED A VIRTUAL BAN ON FLIGHTS BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 6.30 A.M. AND CERTAIN RSTRICTIONS ON OPERATIONS TO REDUCE NOISE BETWEEN 9 P.M. AND 7 A.M. WERE EFFECTIVE IN PROVIDING RELIEF WHEN IT WAS MOST NEEDED.
AS FOR