Enforcement Measures against Loud Vehicles and Adjusting Night-time Noise Thresholds for Residential Areas

Mr Shawn Loh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are the Government’s plans, if any, to improve enforcement actions against vehicles, foreign or otherwise, which cause short but extremely loud noise near residential areas; and (b) whether the Government will consider lowering vehicle noise thresholds for residential areas at nighttime.

Singapore sets maximum exhaust noise levels for both new and in-use vehicles which are aligned with international standards, such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Standards. These levels have been progressively tightened over time. Setting different limits for day- and night-time may not be practical, as vehicle noise characteristics are independent of time of day.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) takes action against noisy vehicles through joint enforcement blitzes with other Agencies at or near our checkpoints, and targeted enforcement operations on our roads based on public feedback. Since 2023, the coverage and frequency of these efforts have increased. NEA will continue to monitor public feedback to assess whether standards should be adjusted or foreseen enforcement action is required. We will also explore the use of technologies to facilitate enforcement against noisy vehicles.