Helping to clean up Newham’s air: Anti-Idling
Idling your engine when stationary creates unnecessary source of air pollution which is a major environmental risk to health.
Research carried out by Kings College London estimated that in London air pollution contributed to around 9,500 deaths in 2010. Both short and long-term exposure to pollutants has been proven to cause illnesses ranging from eczema and itchy eyes to asthma, cancer and lung disease.
Air quality is a measure of how clean or how polluted the air is. Air is made up of good gases like oxygen that we need to breathe, bad gases like nitrogen dioxide and tiny particles like dust can affect our health.
Online Air Quality and Anti-Idling Workshop for School Students in Newham
Schools and teachers can continue to participate in this programme by downloading our Air Quality workshop presentation.
View the presentation on delivering air quality workshops for secondary school students (Powerpoint presentation)
View the presentation on delivering air quality workshops for primary school students (Powerpoint presentation)
View and take the short quiz (PDF)
You can either deliver it in class, over the internet (live), pre-record and post it on YouTube or share with your students as a file.
This online resource builds on Newham’s commitment to tackling idling as part of the Mayor of London’s Idling Action project. Newham partnered with 30 other London Local Authorities as part of a Mayor of London-supported behaviour change campaign – Idling Action - which is helping to reduce localised air pollution caused by motorists leaving their engines running when parked.
If you are interested to learn more about Idling Action London, please visit the Idling Action website
Idling vehicle offences
Engine idling is the unnecessary running of a vehicle engine and is a significant source of local air pollution as well as noise. The Council adopted powers to issue fixed penalty notices for idling, under the Road Traffic Regulations 2002.
We have the authority to:
- ask you to switch your engine off
- issue a £20 fixed penalty notice if you refuse
If you see cars idling somewhere regularly, please let us know so that we can try to do something about it. Contact Anti-Social and Nuisance Behaviour team with the location, type of vehicle and time of day.