Nearly 200 families in a residential complex have complained noise from an outdoor go-kart circuit is depriving them of sleep.
The circuit, in Quyang Park, on Zhongshan Road N1 in Hongkou District, is only 100 meters from the Quyanghaoting residential area.
The circuit is popular because it is the only outdoor kart race facility in the downtown area, and it holds regular race meets for members.
"We can hardly sleep at night," said a resident surnamed Wang, who lives in the Quyanghaoting residential complex.
"It's worse at weekends, when the noise goes late into the night and then starts in the morning."
Residents claim the problem increased following a recent decision to extend service hours until 8:30pm, with residents claiming races continue even longer into the night.
Wang has called the police three times for help. Police claim they are powerless unless the noise continues after 10pm.
The circuit operators said the noise was not their problem because the circuit existed before the residential complex was built.
"The circuit was built in 1997, while the buildings of Quyanghaoting were only finished last year," said a circuit official, surnamed Zhang.
According to Zhang, the fact that the apartment was close to the track was mentioned in the developer's advertisement for the apartments.
Wang said he only bought his apartment after the developers promised the circuit would be replaced by a tennis court and a swimming pool.
The circuit operators do admit the karts used by club members are more high-powered than those used by tourists and produce more noise.
"It is noisier on weekends when the circuit is open to club members from 2pm to 4pm," Wang said. Wang claimed that the facility has passed noise standards.
The district environmental protection authorities have conducted a test on the noise at the request of residents.
"It has exceeded the noise standard, but only slightly," said an official with Hongkou District Environmental Monitoring Center.
The official said that they will take action against the circuit in the future.