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Motorists face £20 fines if they leave their engines idling in what has been branded ‘another stealth tax’ on drivers.
A
hit squad of ‘traffic marshals’ will target stationary cars as part of
the crackdown aimed at cutting pollution to meet strict European
environmental targets.
Motoring organisations accused Westminster council of ‘picking on car owners’ when the
real problem is emissions coming from large vehicles.
There will be 85 traffic marshals at any one time scouring
its streets when it introduces the scheme on May 1.
Islington
Council, in North London, which introduced a similar clampdown last
August, has 24 such marshals prowling roads and known hotspots with
powers to hand out the £20 on-the-spot fines.
The
fines, which rise to £40 if not paid within 28 days, are intended to be
a ‘last resort’ if drivers refuse to turn off their vehicles.
Motorists
outside school gates, on shopping runs or waiting to pick people up at
stations are likely to be hit by the ‘draconian’ clampdown, which is
aimed at those who leave their engines idling after pulling over rather
than motorists stuck in traffic or at red lights.
Other
councils around the country are also likely to start enforcing the
‘stationary idling offence’, which was quietly introduced by the
Government in 2002.
Several
councils, including Corby in Northamptonshire, Torfaen in Wales and
Havering and Wandsworth in London already warn motorists that they face a
£20 fine if they leave car engines idling when stationary.
Havering
Council also warns parents dropping off children at school not to leave
engines running because youngsters with asthma are particularly at risk
from car pollutants – and urges people to contact the council if they
know areas where cars are regularly left idling.
West Sussex County Council have introduced signs urging motorist to turn off their engines in Shoreham-by-Sea.
The
crackdown comes despite most modern cars being fitted with stop-start
technology whereby the engine automatically cuts when it is stationary
for a few moments.
The
move angered motoring groups, who said it would do little to help cut
pollution but would enrage already hard-pressed car owners and was
simply a way of extracting more cash from drivers.
An
AA spokesman Luke Bosdet said: ‘The real test will be how heavily they
enforce this. If you get people nabbing motorists first thing on winter
mornings as they are trying to clear frozen windscreens so they can
drive safely to work then it really will be worrying.’
Steve
McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association,
told the BBC: ‘One of the real problems is cars stuck in traffic;
research has shown pollution is up by 30 per cent in areas of heavy
traffic. Do something to help get the traffic moving.’
The
fines enforce Rule 123 of the Highway Code, which says: ‘If the vehicle
is stationary and likely to remain so for more than a couple of
minutes, you should switch off the engine to reduce emissions and oil
pollution.’
Westminster
councillor Heather Acton said: ‘We want to raise motorist awareness of
the impact engine idling can have on the environment, with air and noise
pollution affecting overall health, as well as it being an unnecessary
use of fuel.’
