Traffic wardens to fine idling cars

Traffic wardens will be able to fine drivers who leave their engines idling when they pull over under new plans to improve air quality. West Sussex County Council has agreed to investigate a scheme giving officers power to hand out penalties to motorists who fail to switch off their vehicles when they are at a standstill.

The punishments would initially only be handed out around the Shoreham area, where an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) has been set up, but be expanded across the county if they prove successful.

The council said they would specifically target areas where exhaust emissions build up unnecessarily, such as at railway crossings or in town centres.



It wants to get people out of the habit of leaving their cars ticking over out of convenience. Signs are already in place at level crossings asking people to switch their engines off.

A council spokesman said: "We would stress that this is just an investigation at this stage. If it was ever introduced the fixed penalty would probably be £20. But we would hope that the vast majority of motorists would be willing to co-operate and not leave their engines idling."

He said there would be exemptions for lorries with freezer units and others that have to keep their engines running. Under the plan traffic wardens will be instructed to issue a warning to any drivers they catch leaving their cars idling. If the motorist refuse to comply with the instruction they will then be issued with a fixed penalty notice.