CALLS for Shropshire Council to bring in ‘noise cameras’ to catch excessively loud vehicles revving through the county’s towns and villages have won the backing of councillors.

The authority says it will seek funding to carry out a trial, which, if successful, could see the technology rolled out more widely.

It is hoped that if successful it will put a brake on thoughtless drivers making a nuisance of themselves in Ludlow town centre.

Viv Parry, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow south and a member of the town council said she had also received “a lot of complaints” about noisy cars and motorcycles in Ludlow.

She said: “I feel that we have put up with it long enough. Over the years it has got worse and worse.

“People are racing each other around town in the day as well as the night.”

The cameras would use noise sensors and number plate recognition to identify vehicles emitting noise over a specified level, with fines then issued to the offending drivers.

The idea was put forward at a meeting of the full council by Liberal Democrat councillor Nat Green, who said residents’ health was being impacted by noisy cars and motorcycles in his Shrewsbury town centre ward of Quarry and Coton Hill.

He said: “This motion sprung out of casework that came from the centre of town. It became abundantly clear that many residents were becoming increasingly exasperated with certain vehicles through the centre of town.

“With a little bit of investigation it became apparent that these matters could be addressed through the use of acoustic cameras.”

Councillor Dean Carroll, portfolio holder for highways, said it was an “excellent” idea, adding that seeking external funding for a trial would “accelerate” the project as no money had been set aside in next year’s budget.

The motion was unanimously supported.