Lib Dems demand that Ealing Council and the Mayor of London do more to stop idling

Idling adds to the amount of exhaust fumes in the air we breathe.

The Royal College of Physicians estimate 40,000 deaths a year in the UK are linked to air pollution, with engine idling contributing to this. London and Ealing appears to suffer more than other locations, especially the Uxbridge Road.

The fumes contain harmful gasses that contribute towards climate change as well as other harmful gasses such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide which are linked to asthma and other lung diseases. In London we have so many cases that can be reduced.

If every car, van, taxi and lorry driver stopped idling it would not end air pollution in London, but it would certainly make a real difference and it is a difference that could be quickly and easily made.
Ealing Council has only fined 35 people and they were between 2006 and 2009. So, no fines after 2009. Ealing Council should hang their head in shame.

The fines can be issued for engines not being switched off when vehicles are parked under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002. The fine is sadly very small (£20). I think that the government need to increase the limit to encourage Councils to fine idling vehicles owners.

Liberal Democrats want the Mayor of London to ensure that in relation to Transport for London’s (TfL) powers of licensing taxis and private hire vehicles it uses every opportunity to discourage the idling of vehicles, including the use of enforcement powers.   I also call on the Mayor of London to actively reduce idling of vehicles by personnel throughout his organisations’ vehicles including the Metropolitan Police Service and Fire Brigade vehicles.

In one section of an Ealing Council transport report it says it is against idling but of course appears to have done almost nothing in this area. More recently Ealing Council allowed commuter parking within our Controlled Parking Zones but did not bother to monitor the extra pollution is has caused.
Where there are a few electronic signs to discourage idling they are so expensive that nearly every area gets no signage. In Hounslow I have seen some less expensive signs that are to be trialled and we are pressing Ealing Council to make use of these signs.

At many local schools despite the Council’s “School Travel Plan” encouraging schools in the borough to sign up to the Safer Parking Promise scheme, with no enforcement it means parents often idle their engines when they visit or drop their children off in the mornings.

Liberal Democrats are demanding that around our schools we ensure that no idling zones are created to ensure air is cleaner.

Liberal Democrats say that wIth National Clean Air Day taking place on 21st June, we should take action soon on engine idling to improve the air we expect our children to breathe.