Quiet, please!
by CHRISTOPHER LEAKE, Mail on Sunday
5th March 2006
Too big a bang: A Royal Artillery gun crew
The Royal Artillery is being forced to test 'quieter' cannon rounds in case its 21-gun salutes breach EU noise regulations.
Soldiers from the unit are investigating a variety of ways of lowering the noise of their ceremonial guns, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
They have been warned that they might risk breaching the European Union's 'Physical Agents Directive', which has reduced the maximum legal limit.
The directive says that the level will have to drop from 140 decibels to 135, putting troops in danger of prosecution for damaging the hearing of members of the public.
The Ministry of Defence says the reduction can be achieved by moving crowds further from the guns.
But last week, soldiers practising in Hyde Park, Central London, revealed that they were also trying out smaller explosive charges in their cannons as a way of cutting noise. They told this newspaper they were carrying out tests to establish whether or not the weapons would now comply with the new EU standard.
Last night, Patrick Mercer, Tory homeland security spokesman and a former Army infantry commander, said: "This is bonkers.
"I hope that terrorists in Iraq bombing our boys will be made to have quieter bombs and that sergeant majors will be told to shout more quietly so they are in line with European legislation."
When first asked, the MoD said that the review of cannon noise was nothing to do with EU regulations and had been sparked by a complaint from a park worker.
The next day, the MoD conceded the 2003 directive, which comes into law next month, had reduced the decibel limit and meant that it was having to take measures to stop crowds being subjected to illegal noise levels at ceremonial salutes.
It also said it had had a complaint about the noise at the Remembrance Day service in 2003.
The Ministry said that it was in the process of conducting a review of noise levels to ensure they complied with the new legislation but added: 'Difficulties in obtaining range access and, more importantly, access and permission to fire in London parks has made the datagathering exercise a slow process. It is anticipated that this task will be completed in September 2006.'
A spokesman repeatedly insisted that the aim of lowering noise levels would be achieved by moving crowds further away from the guns.
The conclusions 'so far' were that there was no need or intention to start using smaller or quieter ammunition, he said.
When pressed, however, he refused to say that the explosive charges used next year would be the same size as those used last year or the year before.
An EU spokeswoman said: "All our directives are based on the best information and scientific research available. The idea of the directive is to protect workers using heavy equipment but it will apply to noise levels from these guns as well."
dailymail.co.uk
by CHRISTOPHER LEAKE, Mail on Sunday
5th March 2006
Too big a bang: A Royal Artillery gun crew
The Royal Artillery is being forced to test 'quieter' cannon rounds in case its 21-gun salutes breach EU noise regulations.
Soldiers from the unit are investigating a variety of ways of lowering the noise of their ceremonial guns, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
They have been warned that they might risk breaching the European Union's 'Physical Agents Directive', which has reduced the maximum legal limit.
The directive says that the level will have to drop from 140 decibels to 135, putting troops in danger of prosecution for damaging the hearing of members of the public.
The Ministry of Defence says the reduction can be achieved by moving crowds further from the guns.
But last week, soldiers practising in Hyde Park, Central London, revealed that they were also trying out smaller explosive charges in their cannons as a way of cutting noise. They told this newspaper they were carrying out tests to establish whether or not the weapons would now comply with the new EU standard.
Last night, Patrick Mercer, Tory homeland security spokesman and a former Army infantry commander, said: "This is bonkers.
"I hope that terrorists in Iraq bombing our boys will be made to have quieter bombs and that sergeant majors will be told to shout more quietly so they are in line with European legislation."
When first asked, the MoD said that the review of cannon noise was nothing to do with EU regulations and had been sparked by a complaint from a park worker.
The next day, the MoD conceded the 2003 directive, which comes into law next month, had reduced the decibel limit and meant that it was having to take measures to stop crowds being subjected to illegal noise levels at ceremonial salutes.
It also said it had had a complaint about the noise at the Remembrance Day service in 2003.
The Ministry said that it was in the process of conducting a review of noise levels to ensure they complied with the new legislation but added: 'Difficulties in obtaining range access and, more importantly, access and permission to fire in London parks has made the datagathering exercise a slow process. It is anticipated that this task will be completed in September 2006.'
A spokesman repeatedly insisted that the aim of lowering noise levels would be achieved by moving crowds further away from the guns.
The conclusions 'so far' were that there was no need or intention to start using smaller or quieter ammunition, he said.
When pressed, however, he refused to say that the explosive charges used next year would be the same size as those used last year or the year before.
An EU spokeswoman said: "All our directives are based on the best information and scientific research available. The idea of the directive is to protect workers using heavy equipment but it will apply to noise levels from these guns as well."
dailymail.co.uk
