Supercar drivers face fines as ‘noise cameras’ could be extended across Kensington and Chelsea

By Jacob Phillips, local democracy reporter

Special cameras could be introduced across Kensington and Chelsea to crack down on boy racers.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) hopes to extend powers to stop noisy drivers zooming along Knightsbridge and Sloane Square.

The council issued 163 fines and 69 warnings to noisy drivers between September and December 2020 when it trialled acoustic cameras in Sloane Street and Pont Street in Knightsbridge.

Now the council is hoping to introduce the cameras across the whole borough, including areas with a lot of noise complaints like Cadogan Place, Warwick Road, Notting Hill and Earls Court.

The cameras monitor sound levels and when the noise reaches 74 decibels they begin filming the offending vehicle.

RBKC has previously said decibel levels recorded can reach 126dB on some summer nights in Knightsbridge – around the average level of a rock concert.

In November, supercars were recorded up to 104db – the equivalent noise levels of a helicopter.

A Range Rover on Sloane Street set off a camera at just under 100dB at the same time.

Now the council is hoping to put the cameras across the whole borough to tackle dangerous driving.

The borough already has permission to fine drivers who unnecessarily rev engines and race the streets in Knightsbridge but when a similar camera was trialled in Holland Park it picked up six potential offences.

The council hopes to reach a decision on whether it will add cameras across the borough when it’s heard back from residents by August 22.

Lead Member for Transport Councillor Johnny Thalassites said: “As the first local authority in the UK to pilot new noise camera technology, we’ve managed to catch some of the worst offenders of noisy and inconsiderate driving.

“We want our borough to be the best place to live, work and learn in London and we are always looking for ways to make it a great place to be while keeping the community safe.

“We now wish to hear from those living and working in the borough to see if they would benefit from borough wide enforcement against this issue.”