Anti-idling awareness campaign to help improve air quality

Published Thursday 4 November, 2021
Last updated on Thursday 4 November, 2021

Drivers who leave their engines idling will be targeted as part of a campaign to improve air quality across the borough.

Swale Borough Council will be running an awareness campaign from November to encourage drivers to switch off their engines when their vehicle is stationary.

The council has worked with residents, schools and parish councils to identify a number of hotspot locations in the borough where multiple drivers regularly leave their engines idling. Most of these are located outside of schools during afternoon pick up times.

Council officers will be targeting these hotspot areas and handing out information to drivers to encourage them to change their behaviour.

If drivers refuse, they face the risk of a £20 fixed penalty notice as it is an offence under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002 to leave your engines running unnecessary.

Cllr Tim Valentine, cabinet member for the climate and ecological emergency at the council, said:

“We will be visiting various school hotspot locations to talk to drivers and reminding them that it is an offence to leave your engines running unnecessarily.

“We want raise public awareness about the damage that can be caused to people’s health by leaving your car idling.

“We’ll focus on educating drivers to help provide cleaner air across the borough, particularly for residents who live in Air Quality Management Areas and children going to and from school every day.

“We do have the power to issue fixed penalty notices if necessary, but we do want people to comply with the anti-idling regulations more effectively so we can improve local air quality.”