More than 300 people from Netherlands, Belgium and Germany protest against noise nuisance from motorcycles

More than 300 groups of residents from the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium protest on Sunday on the Drielandenpunt in Vaals against the noise nuisance by motorcycles. According to the organizers, this is the first international protest against this noise. The participants are people from action groups who fight against motorcycle noise, especially in their own municipality.

The participants demand an end to unnecessary noise nuisance from motorcycles. They also want European standards where motorcycles are not allowed to make more noise than a car. In addition, the residents are also calling for roads to be closed to noisy motorcycles and for a ban on loud exhaust systems. Finally, the activists are demanding that police enforce noise pollution regulations.

According to the Dutch Association for Environmental Noise Motorcycles (NEFOM), noise nuisance starts in April and lasts until October. As a result, people who live in nice areas can't sit in their own backyards or balconies then, NEFOM said. "The noise pollution is so great that they flee indoors, close the windows or take refuge in other areas," NEFOM chairman Tony Hardenberg claimed.

Incidentally, members of the motorcyclists' action group MAG are also coming forward in Vaals on Sunday. They say they want to raise a voice in dissent.