Anti-idling
Engine idling (leaving your vehicle engine running while not moving) is a big source of local air pollution. It contributes to poor air quality, which then damages people's health.
Cough! Cough! Engine Off!
Our anti-idling campaign will help us all play our part in reducing air pollution by:
- encouraging drivers to switch off their engines when parked up and waiting
- drawing attention to the health risks of continued idling
- reducing the numbers of idling vehicles in Southend-on-Sea
We want to make people think about the importance of clean air and the impact that air pollution has on our health.
Air pollution from cars and traffic
A lot of air pollution in cities can come from cars, including taxis.
According to the Defra clean air strategy 2019:
- over 30,000 deaths a year nationally are linked to air pollution
- children are suffering life-long health problems because of poor air quality
It is particularly important to reduce idling in the following areas:
- outside schools, nurseries and preschools
- at traffic lights, where possible
Whenever you need to wait in a parked or stationary vehicle, remember:
- it is less polluting to turn your engine off and restart it after a minute (or longer) than to leave your engine running
- modern batteries need less engine running time to work and do not need the engine on constantly to keep them charged
- it can take up to an hour for an engine to cool down, turning off your engine but keeping the ignition on and the fan blowing will provide warm air for some time
We need the help of everyone to make the air that we breathe cleaner.
Help spread the Cough! Cough! Engine Off! message by sharing our posts on social media.
For more information and resources about how to reduce air pollution, visit the Action for Clean Air website.