The government have launched a competition to find Britain’s noisiest streets, they’re also backing it with a £300,000 ‘prize’ where trials into the new ‘noise camera’ technology will be trialled first.

It comes as the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps sets out to banish “Boy racers.” He’s encouraging MPs across England and Wales to apply to run the trials in their noisy areas. Shapps said “We want those in Britain’s noisiest streets, who are kept up at night by unbearable revving engines and noisy exhausts, to come forward with the help of volunteer areas to test and perfect the latest innovative technology.

“For too long, rowdy drivers have been able to get away with disturbing our communities with illegal noisy vehicles. It’s time we clamp down on this nuisance, banish the boy racer and restore peace and quiet to local streets.”

The technology can automatically detect when vehicles are breaking noise limits and provide real-time reports which police can use as evidence against the offender. Existing legislation requires exhausts and silencers to be maintained in good working order and not be altered to increase noise. We all know a two-stroke expansion pipe is likely to exceed noise limits so it’ll be another nail in the coffin for our vintage steeds once the trial gets rolled out across the country. It will also affect the aftermarket exhaust manufacturers.