Bayside Council will look at the option of using noise cameras in car hoon hot spots.
The idea was suggested in the Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Heidi Lee Douglas at the February 9 council meeting.
"Hooning is creating massive noise pollution for residents," Councillor Douglas said.
"Backfiring, extreme deceleration and acceleration, and crackle tuning - which is the addition of illegal after-market add-ons to make exhausts sound like guns-shots.
"It's not speed. It's not running red lights. It's extreme noise pollution made by deliberate public nuisance driving," Cr Douglas said.
"It keeps our residents awake, it disturbs businesses and customers, and it is creating stress and anxiety.
"It's not an issue we have alone. In London, at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, they had the same issues.
"They trialled noise cameras and they worked. So they have rolled them out widely, even more successfully."
In Chelsea, 30 drivers recorded by noise cameras over 11 days when the cameras were introduced in October 2020.
"The noise camera is automatically triggered by sounds above a certain decibel," Cr Douglas said.
"The camera records five seconds preroll and the incident. Then an alert goes to a council officer who reviews the footage and sees if it is public nuisance driving. Incidents of public nuisance driving are then sent to police to charge.
"Road Rule 291 requires that a person must not start a vehicle or drive in a way that makes unnecessary noise or smoke.
"It does not rely on community reporting. It means police don't need to be on the ground, nor do rangers.
"These specific noise cameras have worked so well in London. It's now in Paris and New York. There are noise cameras in Wollongong and Coffs Harbour. Next stop could be Bayside."
In her Notice of Motion, Cr Douglas called for the council to prepare a report examining the potential to use noise cameras to deter antisocial driving behaviour that impacts Bayside residents by way of excessive noise.
The report would include a review of the legislative framework in NSW in relation to the potential use of noise cameras, including the ability for fines to be issued based on noise camera evidence.
And it would look at the feasibility of undertaking a trial of noise camera technology, particularly in the Brighton-Le-Sands area.
An amendment moved by Councillors Bill Saravinovski and Andrew Tsounis called for the council, as a matter of urgency, to write to the Minister of Local Government seeking guidance and feedback on how existing or proposed legislation may support the use of noise cameras.
They also called for the council to write to the Minister of Local Government and the Minister for the Environment requesting legislative change to allow the use of noise cameras.
This was supported by councillors.
