Crackdown on the noisy MP3 players on Huddersfield buses

Apr 27 2010 By Neil Atkinson

BUS passengers could be urged to travel in silence.

Health and noise experts in Kirklees are planning a crackdown on personal stereos on public transport.

They believe excessive use of the stereo systems could be damaging users’ hearing.

And they also admit there is a problem for other passengers, irritated by the noise.

Kirklees Council is taking the imitative during Noise Action Week.

They want to educate users of personal music players on how they could be damaging their hearing.

Environmental Health officers and medical staff from the Health Protection Agency will be speaking to travellers on buses in Huddersfield to advise them of the dangers.

A council spokesman said: “The knock on effect of this work should also help reduce the annoyance created for other bus users of loud personal music players.

“Research has revealed that listening to personal music players at high volumes can cause serious damage to hearing.

“According to a report from the EU Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks, as many as 10% of personal music player listeners are at risk of permanent hearing loss through listening to music through headphones at high volumes for long periods of time.2