North Wiltshire MP James Gray has written to the Home Secretary to suggest a change in the law which permits noise-enhancing alterations to car exhausts.

“A very large number of my constituents in Malmesbury are being continually disturbed by the noise of boy racers in the town,” said Mr Gray. “In a letter to me, Wiltshire Police say that alterations of car exhausts which are simply designed to produce large amounts of noise are apparently entirely within the law. If indeed that is the case, then this seems to me to be demonstrably an area where the law needs to be changed.”

“I have written to the Home Secretary to suggest that he should look into this, so that these boy racers can be stopped.”

21^st July 2009

Rt. Hon. Alan Johnson MP,
Home Secretary,
Home Office,
2, Marsham Street,
London,
SW1P 4DF.

Dear Alan,

I write urgently on behalf of a large number of my constituents, who have raised with me their disquiet at the outrageous level of noise by boy-racers in and around Malmesbury.

As you will see from the enclosed letter, Wiltshire Police argue that alterations of car exhausts which are simply designed to produce large amounts of noise are apparently entirely within the law. If indeed that is the case, then this seems to me to be demonstrably an area where the law needs to be changed.

During a recent Malmesbury Area Board Meeting in the well-insulated Town Hall, these boy racers chose to drive around the adjoining streets, making it virtually impossible to hear what was being said. The effects on people living in ordinary houses, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, must be unspeakable.

I am not absolutely certain whether this is matter for you or for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who has responsibility for noise, and to whom I am copying this letter.

Yours ever,

James

cc. Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn MP