The noise of fireworks has been causing sleepless nights and distress for people and animals alike, across Pudsey, Tyersal, Calverley and other parts of West Leeds.
Last Wednesday a bill was passed in the House of Commons called the Fireworks (Noise Control Etc) Bill.
This bill sets a maximum noise levels for fireworks that can be sold to the public.
The bill also requires the government to review the impact of firework noise on the welfare of veterans, neurodivergent people, people with certain medical conditions, and animals.
At Police And Communities Together (PACT) meetings in Pudsey and in other communities there have often been complaints about loud fireworks often late at night.
The police find it difficult to find where the fireworks are coming from. Once alerted to the noise the police can head towards where they think they are coming from however many of the fireworks are the “mortar” type, which simply make a series of up to 100 repeat bangs with no visual display.
These fireworks may be set off by friends of people celebrating often some distance from a venue. The police have very little time to respond as the firework will have finished within a couple of minutes.
It hoped that the new bill, when it has completed its journey through the Houses of Parliament and becomes law, that the noisiest of fireworks will not be available to the public. It is expected that organised official displays will still be able to buy the bigger fireworks.
The new regulations will give councils the power to regulate the use of fireworks in some cases. This was a 10-minute rule motion was presented to Parliament by the Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi.
- Gary Lemal, Pudsey
Not sure it will make any difference. Fireworks are loud no matter what you try and do.
Just ban them completely,I hate breathing all that propellant and poisonous dust. No need for these in a civilised society, it was okay 500 years ago.
Far better to ban fireworks totally except for Oct 28-Nov 7th and perhaps 23rd Dec-Jan 3rd.
Of course bans mean nothing if the police have other priorities like arresting or harassing people for social media posts that harm no one, maybe offensive to some who don’t understand freedom of expression is important in a democratic country