Residents of Chiswell Green, St Albans, will soon see action taken against antisocial driving, illegal car meets, and excessive exhaust noise along the A405, thanks to a new pilot project backed by Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

Following ongoing concerns from local residents PCC Jonathan Ash-Edwards has approved funding from the Road Safety budget to install acoustic monitoring technology and cameras to deter illegal and excessively noisy vehicles.

The two-year pilot project will introduce cutting-edge acoustic devices, combined with cameras, to detect vehicles emitting noise above the legal threshold. Drivers caught exceeding these limits will receive educational warning letters, with repeat offenders facing Section 59 warning, which could result in their vehicles being seized if they are caught a second time.

Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards said:

“Residents in Chiswell Green have endured years of disruption from street racing and antisocial driving along the A405. This behaviour not only impacts the quality of life for families and older residents but also poses a real danger to road users.

“I met with residents after my election last year to hear their concerns and explore what more could be done to support the progress already made by the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

“This is the first time that noise cameras have been used in Hertfordshire. It takes a firm but fair approach – educational at first before allowing the police to take enforcement action, which could ultimately lead to vehicles being seized.

“This project is a direct response to community concerns and aligns with our commitment to tackling neighbourhood crime and antisocial behaviour to make Hertfordshire safer.”

The pilot will roll out in the coming months starting with initial monitoring from devices installed in both directions on the A405 to gather baseline noise data. This will be followed by active enforcement with the calibrated system being used to send letters to owners of noisy vehicles, followed by persistent offenders being subject to police action, including Section 59 orders.

The Neighbourhood Policing Team has been working tirelessly with the complex long-term neighbourhood priority of vehicle related anti-social behaviour on the A414 North Orbital Road and with Starbucks, Herts Highways, Herts County Council, local councillors, Burston Garden Centre and the PCCs office.

During COVID-19, they saw a dramatic increase in anti-social driving. The team proactively increased covert and overt patrols during weekend evenings and helped introduce a raft of measures. It included closure of the overnight store and the car park being gated off between 10pm and 6am, which contributed to a reduction in reported offences from residents. 

The introduction of the acoustic monitoring will significantly improve the quality of life for residents, who have had to put up with cars racing and modified exhausts during the early hours of the morning for years.

They will be able to identify vehicles from the cameras exceeding the allowed noise threshold and seize vehicles being driven by anti-social drivers after enforcement letters are sent out. 

The PCC has committed up to £23,825 in funding, with additional support from local partners covering ongoing operational costs. A review will take place at six and twelve months to assess the project’s impact.

Police can act if exhaust does not function as it should or if it has been illegally modified to produce excessive noise.