Noise Awareness Week

Noise Awareness Week

Noise Awareness Week 19th – 23rd May 2008

Noise Awareness Week (NAW), is an annual initiative co-ordinated by Environmental Protection UK ( formerly NSCA). The aim of this initiative is to raise awareness of the problems associated with neighbour noise and the practical solutions available to tackle it. It provides an opportunity for local authorities such as Westminster City Council, housing providers, mediation services and all those agencies involved in neighbour noise management to raise awareness of services available and promote practical solutions.

Westminster’s Noise Team have for many years been involved in the spirit of Noise Awareness Week and their past initiatives have included raising noise awareness amongst school children, the environmentally friendly disposure of seized amplification equipment, the control of building sites, promoting voluntary mediation services to resolve noise disputes and promoting audible intruder alarm awareness.

This year the Noise Team emphasis is again focused on audible intruder alarms. Last year the Westminster Noise Team receive in excess of 1488 complaints concerning the erroneous sounding of audible intruder alarms. Current legislation requires all audible intruder alarms to be fitted with a 20 minute “Cut-Out” device. The Cleaner Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 determined that the responsibility for keyholder registration and the maintenance of a database is a decision for the local authority.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Council has powers to deal with noise nuisances from audible intruder alarms, and in the case of unoccupied premises, this can include forced entry of the premises to disable the alarm. It is far better for us to contact a nominated keyholder who can open the premises and disable and/or reset the alarm. The police no longer maintain a register of keyholders, so the Noise Team will continue to maintain a voluntary register of keyholders. By registering your keyholder details, you could avoid substantial costs should your alarm malfunction.

You can submit your details either online or via post by clicking here.  If you need further information, please contact the Noise Team on 020 7641 7010.

In tandem with Noise Awareness Week you may also be interested in “Celebrating Walking”. School children in Westminster will be asked to recreate through art the sounds and sights of their daily walks through the streets of Westminster, culminating in a Communal Art Exhibition at the SW1 Gallery, 12 Cardinal Walk, Cardinal Place, Victoria SW1E 5JE. More information can be obtained from Peter Wilson, Education Manager, Road Safety Unit on 020 7641 2016