Idling Engines Plague London
Idling is the new thing to do, when delivering, I even had an hour creative writing session and the same van was idling – a whole hour. I asked the driver, why – it was to keep warm, A walk around the block would have done that. I offered him a fiver to go to the pub and have a coffee and he told me he had to stay near the set as he was on call.
For all you, like him who feel idling is not a problem. Here are the facts. The more fuel you use the more demand rises and the more prices rise but you idea away anyhow, – Maybe it’s a company van or maybe you have more money than sense.
What is idling?
Idling is the act of sitting in a stationary car with your engine running while it churns out noxious emissions.
These emissions kill about 4,000 people each year, the Guardian reports. To try and reduce this, councils have been targeting drivers who idle. There are some times when idling can’t be avoided, for example when you’re in traffic or stuck in a queue. But you should always switch your engine off if you can. This would include being in gridlocked traffic, stopping outside school or picking up a passenger.
What is wrong with idling?
Idling engines can cause significant air pollution.
An idling engine can produce up to twice the emissions of a car in motion. It pumps out unnecessary sulphur dioxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere.
These chemicals all have a negative effect on air quality and contribute to asthma, heart disease and lung cancer.
How much pollution does an idling car create?
Research has found that an idling car causes enough emissions to fill 150 balloons with harmful pollutants – every minute. It’s a common misconception that turning your engine off and on again uses more fuel than leaving your car idling. Unless your car has ‘stop-start’ technology you should switch your engine off, so long as it’s safe to do so.
However if you drive an older car, it’s wise to plan ahead rather than turning your engine on and off. Doing so could affect the battery, especially if it’s more than five years old.
London, engine idling law: what are the rules?
To reduce the impact of harmful pollutants, there are laws to discourage drivers from idling.Stationary idling is an offence under Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The act enforces Rule 123 of the Highway Code, that states: “You must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.”
Can I get a fine for car idling?
If you’re caught idling you could be hit with a £20 fixed-penalty fine under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002, rising to £40 if unpaid within the required timeframe. Fines can be as high as £80 in certain areas of London where there are additional measures to cut emissions. Islington Council mounted what’s thought to be the first crackdown of its kind on vehicles churning out ‘unnecessary pollution’ in 2014 and then again in 2016.
So, please switch on your brains and switch off the engines when the car is not being used. If you have to wait and its cold, go for a quick walk around the block.
ABOUT ME
A well respected author
Michael Fitzalan was born in Clapham, South London where his mother had established a doctor’s surgery in a house which she filled with children.
With three sisters, two brothers and a library full of books, a love of literature was imbued in him from an early age.
Michael Fitzalan comes from Irish parents were doctors and they settled on the West Side of Clapham Common and had six children in quick succession.
A story by Michael Fitzalan
