Trial to start on Horn Lane in bid to reduce pollution
If you leave your engine running unncessarily ('idling') in Ealing you may soon face a fine.
Ealing Council is trialling a new scheme for one month (from 1 December until 1 January). Two enforcement officers will patrol the Horn Lane area of Acton - one of the most polluted areas in the borough.
They will approach drivers who are seen to be idling and ask them to comply with the law. Drivers who refuse will be issued with fixed penalty notices. Signs will also be put up in the area reminding drivers of the law.
Idling is when a vehicle’s engine stays running unnecessarily when stationary - polluting the environment. It is illegal on a public road. The Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002, state that if a driver doesn’t turn off their engine after being spoken to, they are liable for a £20 fixed penalty notice.
The idling legislation covers all vehicles on public roads including buses, taxis and private cars. It does not apply to vehicles moving slowly due to road works or congestion, vehicles stopped at traffic lights, vehicles under test or repair or defrosting a windscreen.
Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport and environment, said:
''Turning off car engines saves money and reduces pollution and I would like drivers to give more thought to the poisons they are pumping out into the atmosphere unnecessarily.
“I despair when I see cabbies and van drivers stopped with their engines running. Contrary to popular belief vehicle engines don’t need to be warmed up and restarting engines does not use more fuel or create extra wear and tear, so there’s no reason why they can’t just be turned off. Idling engines can produce twice as many emissions as the engine of a moving car so it’s crucial that we get this message across, especially in areas like Horn Lane where pollution levels have reached dangerous levels in the past.
“Our officers will be approaching drivers of cars, buses, taxis, vans and trucks to remind them to switch their engines off. If they don’t comply, we will be issuing on the spot fines. No excuses.”
The enforcement operation will be reviewed at the end of the one-month trial.
17th November 2014