Peak in nuisance noise

Last month saw the most complaints about noise in Herefordshire for four years.

There were 193 such complaints in July – more than six a day, according to a freedom of information request.

This is the highest figure since the same month in 2018, when there were 268 such complaints.

There have been between 800 and 900 complaints across the county in each of the past five years, but in each year almost half were made in June, July and August.

Herefordshire Council says this summer’s spike in noise complaints is down to loud music and parties, as well as barking dogs and loud factory equipment.

Its ‘noise officers’ patrol the county on Friday and Saturday nights into the early hours during summer, monitoring noise hotspots and investigating complaints.

But it rarely issues noise abatement or other forms of enforcement, with figures showing an average of just over two a year in recent years.

The council last month urged residents and businesses to “make the summer enjoyable and prevent noise nuisance occurring in your neighbourhood”.