£20 fine initiative for idle engine running is being adopted by several councils

car idling fines

In a bid to cut vehicle emissions, several councils are adopting on the spot fines for those who leave their engine running whilst stationary.

Councils include Nottinghamshire city, Norwich, Wirral, Reading, Camden and Southwark. The move is in a bid to improve air quality.

The fines are primarily aimed at parents picking up and dropping off school children where they may sit waiting for up to half an hour in some places.

King’s College London carried out a recent study that demonstrated that people living in affected areas born after the air quality legislation was introduced gained an extra seven weeks of life expectancy.

Both traffic wardens and police officers will be able to issue the fines where fines will double should they not be paid within 28 days.

The spotlight is quiet heavily on reducing emissions currently. Not only for the population of people but also for our planet as a whole.

The correct procedure will should be for the enforcing officer to ask the driver to switch off their engine. In the event that the driver refuses, the officer will then be able to issue the fine.

An idle engine can in some circumstances produces increased emissions compared to if it were running. Combined with this, it increases the cost of fuel bills to every household.

Westminster and London City as a whole are cracking down tightly on idling engines where the fine can increase to £80. Local residents are encouraged to report repeat offenders. This ties in with the ultra-low emissions zone being implemented across the city starting in 2019 and fully rolled out by 2021.

So, will this affect driving instructors who are teaching. Well possibly, it is unlikely an instructor will ever be stand still long enough whilst offering explanations but it would be wise for the instructor to turn their engine off whilst educating their pupil on the importance of not leaving an engine idle.

If you are an instructor who is looking for driving instructor car insurance, be sure to give us a call. Our ADI Insurance team will be happy to help.