Anti-idling Campaign Launched in the Borough

Aim is to discourage drivers from living their engine running when stationary

Campaign to raise awareness of the impact of idling engines
Campaign to raise awareness of the impact of idling engines

Motorists who leave their engine running while parked-up are being urged to switch their engine off, at every stop, as part of a campaign to encourage drivers to stop ‘idling’.

Research shows long term exposure to poor air quality leads to asthma, lung disease, heart disease, restricted lung development in the young, and costs the NHS and the economy billions every year.

Earlier this week Hounslow Council held a webinar hosted by campaign group Idling Action London who are helping to raise awareness of unnecessary idling of vehicles with their Engine Off Every Stop campaign which runs from 22 February until 23 March this year.

The Idling Action Project has been running since 2016. The project, which is funded by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund, offers virtual and in-person education and targeted behaviour change interventions for schools, businesses, local authorities, hospitals and other organisations.

The campaign encourages drivers to switch off when pulled over as this is the easiest way to protect public health and make an immediate improvement to local air quality. They believe that if drivers were aware of the pollution created by idling and the dangers of that pollution, they would switch off.

It has produced short video which demonstrates how much pollution is created by a car idling for just one minute

 

Local printers OctInk printed some No Idling car stickers for Air Quality Brentford last year and they still have some left to give away for free – if you’d like one email airqualitybrentford@hotmail.com

Cllr Dunne, Cabinet Member for Communities and Climate Emergency, said, “Leaving a vehicle engine on whilst it is parked is not acceptable, and never has been, but we are increasingly aware of the need to take action where we can.

“We need to highlight this important issue and so we are asking all motorists to support us and help improve the air we all breathe.

“During the first lockdown last year, pollution in Hounslow reduced by 20 per cent, which is fantastic.

“However, this figure will increase when the lockdown measures are eased, which is why we are asking Hounslow residents to consider cycling or walking where possible.

“In situations where using a car can’t be avoided, please consider the health of the people around you and turn your engine off at every stop.”

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London said, “Engine idling is completely unnecessary and threatens the health of anyone close by.

“Air pollution is not just a central London problem, which is why I’m glad London boroughs have joined this call to promote ‘Engines Off, Every Stop’.

“Supporting boroughs through the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund is just one of the ways I’m working to improve London’s air, including cleaning up London’s buses, tackling air pollution around schools and, in October this year, expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone up to the North and South Circular roads to cut pollution for millions more Londoners.”

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February 26, 2021