Approval of roadside noise cameras in France will see fines issued against loud vehicles
The devices known as meduses already exist in several cities but so far have only been ‘instructional’
Nearly 40% of people living in urban areas with populations above 250,000 are said to be exposed to traffic noise exceeding 60 decibels during the dayEric Glenn/Shutterstock
Roadside cameras that are designed to detect and penalise excessively noisy vehicles are expected to be rolled out across France this year following extensive trials in several cities.
Unlike conventional speed cameras, the devices—known as ‘noise radars’—will monitor the sound levels produced by passing cars, motorbikes and scooters.
The initiative follows a 2023 governmental decree restricting the noise level of traffic to 85dB(A) (similar to a food blender) on roads limited to 50km/h in built up areas.
More than 22 million people in France are exposed to road noise, representing 42% (daytime) and 27% (night-time) of the population in these areas, according to a 2017 study by the EU statistics department Eurostat.
Around 17% of French households say they suffer due to this pollution, which is reported to be the cause of more than 10,000 premature deaths and 43,000 hospital admissions every year.
Devices tested in Paris, Toulouse, and Nice
The ‘noise radar’ technology has been tested in cities including Paris, Toulouse, and Nice for several years.
Unlike standard roadside equipment, the devices are fitted with highly sensitive microphones and directional acoustic sensors that allow them to isolate a specific vehicle’s noise even in busy traffic.
They are paired with number plate recognition cameras and mounted on tall roadside poles, with a range of around 15 metres. They are commonly known as méduses (jellyfish) or hydras.
There is no public information available as to how many noise radars will be fitted, nor where they will be.
No fines have been issued so far - rather the system has been ‘instructional’, with drivers instead issued warnings.
A government decree is needed to activate the fining mechanism, and the main radar model, used by the noise observatory Bruitparif, has not yet received official certification.
Both the decree and the certification are expected to come later this year.
Once that has happened, vehicles that exceed the 85dB(A) limit may be subject to a fixed penalty of €135, with a reduced fine of €90 if payment is made within 15 days.
Motorbikes and modified cars are expected to be the main culprits. However, only a small number of vehicles regularly exceed the threshold.
In one trial in Val-de-Marne (Ile-de-France), out of some 15,000 vehicles monitored daily, just 15 triggered the system.
