Hackney (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hackney joins London boroughs in a renewed campaign to curb air pollution caused by engine idling, highlighting growing regional action on emissions.
Hackney Council is glad to continue its participation in the ‘Vehicle Off, Every Stop’ initiative to combat air pollution caused by vehicle idling. Its main message to London drivers is that engine idling is bad for you and those around you.
The’ Engine Off, Every Stop’ crusade is part of the Idling Action London design, which receives support from the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund. The design intends to address dispensable machine footling, which contributes significantly to original air pollution and climate change.
Councillor Sarah Young, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport at Hackney said:
“We all want to breathe clean air. We’re working with councils across London to remind all drivers to switch off our engines when we stop. We don’t need to leave our engines idling.
Engine idling represents a largely avoidable source of air pollution in London. The campaign aims to improve public awareness of the avoidable dangers to health caused by idling petrol and diesel vehicles and encourages drivers to turn off their engines when parked to cut air pollution. The campaign highlights that air pollution is an “invisible killer” and is dangerous for all Londoners.
Hackney has recently been updating and consulting on its revised Air Quality Action Plan, to set out the measures we will take over the next 5 years to improve air quality. Raising awareness about the harm to health caused through engine idling is one of the measures which we will be delivering. Air pollution doesn’t take account of borough boundaries.
Hackney’s participation in the awareness campaign by the idling Action London project can really help to spread the message to drivers of motor vehicles beyond Hackney so has the potential to bring about significant changes in driver behaviour.”
While motorists of some vehicles, similar as ambulances and waste collection vehicles, are needed to leave their machines running, all othernon-exempt buses must not be left idle, and the crusade focuses on these motorists.
Idling motorcars release adulterants similar to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter( PM 2.5), which have been linked to asthma, heart complaints, habitual bronchitis, and cancer. People with respiratory issues, the elderly, pregnant women, and children are especially vulnerable.
Out-of-door air pollution in the UK has dropped dramatically in recent times, with the utmost areas of London now meeting the legal NO2 and PM 2.5 norms. Still, exploration indicates that there are no safe quantities of exposure to air pollution. According to the RCP’s recent 2025 update paper ‘A breath of fresh air: responding to the health issues of modern air pollution’, air pollution will claim approximately 30,000 deaths in 2025.
‘Engine Off, Every Stop’ sends a straightforward message: merely turning off the engine of a parked car will immediately contribute to lowering exposure to dangerous exhaust air pollution.
The initiative, which is projected to reach millions of people around the capital, will ultimately contribute to reducing idling hotspots and automobile pollution in London.
This cycle of the Idling Action London project (April 2024-March 2027) is sponsored by the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Grant Fund and is being led by the London Borough of Camden and the London Borough of Hounslow on behalf of 21 London local authorities. The campaign will be redesigned for winter 2025, beginning in November.
What penalties or enforcement apply for illegal idling in London?
Illegal Footling in London violates Regulation 98 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, proscribing gratuitous machine running while stationary on roadsides (exceptions business, lading/ unloading under 2 minutes). Original authorities apply via the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emigrations) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002.
Officers approach motorists politely, requesting machines out; forfeitures issued only on turndown. No warnings demanded in some megalopolises with Traffic Management Orders. Applies city-wide, hotspots like seminaries, hospitals prioritized in juggernauts.
Overdue forfeitures lead to court; police forfeitures can exceed £1,000. Hackney and Camden juggernauts emphasize education over forfeitures originally.