Don’t be an Idler!
As has been well documented, leaving an engine running unnecessarily while a vehicle is stationary pollutes the air we breathe, causes unnecessary noise and costs drivers money. Switching off your engine is an easy way to help improve air quality and the health of people in the area. By turning off the engine when stationary, it will help:
- reduce pollution – turning off and restarting an engine causes less pollution than keeping the engine running
- protect health – turning off the engine can help to reduce asthma, heart disease and lung cancer
- save money – idling wastes fuel and money
- protect your car – idling can increase wear and tear on the engine
- If a driver is asked to turn their engine off by an authorised officer and refuses, they can be issued with an £80 Penalty Charge Notice.
The Residents’ Association are exploring the potential to introduce an ‘Air Quality Marshall’ scheme which would see dedicated officers employed to tackle hot-spots, give advice and, where necessary, issue £80 fines.
Cllr Clarence Barrett
Would be great idea if scheme fines are enforced
Yes, hence the idea of Air Quality Marshalls.
Polluting the air by leaving engines running is a real problem in Cedar Avenue when parents are waiting for their children to come out of school. It not only happens in Winter when they keep their heaters on but also in Summer to keep cool by keeping the air conditioning running. I really do not understand why these parents are polluting the air that their children breath just to keep themselves comfortable. Some of these parents arrive an hour early to make sure they get a slot near the school. There are posters up asking parents not to do this, but these requests are ignored. I agree that they should be fined .
Another area that’s a real problem is along Hall Lane by the station, the black taxis sit there with there engines running chucking out choking diesel fumes. It makes me gag walking to Upminster Station so I try and hold my breath! I wish they would turn their engines off if they are no moving.