To bring ‘silence’ to streets, Paris unveils first noise radar

In a first, Paris unveiled a noise radar on Monday to keep a check on loud motorcycles and other vehicles. The move seems to have been taken to bring silence to one of the noisiest cities in Europe.  

In the 20th district in eastern Paris, the first noise radar has been installed by the city on a street lamp post at a height.  

It will be able to measure the noise level of moving vehicles and identify their licence plates.  

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In a tweet, Paris deputy mayor David Belliard said, "Too much noise makes people sick. For our health and quality of life...this first sound radar's aim is to automatically issue fines for vehicles that makes too much noise."  

For the next few months, the city will test whether the radar has been able to identify the licence plates of roaring vehicles. After proof of the efficacy of the equipment, it will get officially approved by authorities by the end of 2022.  

No fines will be issued for now. Paris may start fining from early 2023.   

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"The problem is that police often have other things to do," said Fanny Mietlicki, head, Bruitparif agency that has pioneered the noise radar technology.  

A second noise radar will also be installed in western Paris on Tuesday.   

(With inputs from agencies)