Drivers who leave their engines on when parked should be fined, says survey

Seventy-two per cent of UK drivers want councils to clamp down on motorists who leave their engines running when parked, according to a new survey.

In fact, 44 per cent of the 2,130 members surveyed by the RAC said that they would like officials to tell such drivers to switch off their engines and fine them if they refuse.

Though councils already have the power to fine drivers £20 for idling while parked, few actually enforce it.

However, a sympathetic 26 per cent of those surveyed said that those drivers who were caught waiting with their engines idling should be told to switch off their cars without a fine.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “It is clear from our research that the vast majority of drivers are far more aware of the impact of vehicle emissions than they were three years ago.

“They are conscious of pollution from parked vehicles running their engines needlessly to the point they want to see local councils taking some form of action against those who do this. At the very least they would like a council official to speak to those who do it and ask them to switch off.”

When asked if they would turn off their cars to cut down on pollution when stationary, 64 per cent claimed they would outside schools, while a further 62 per cent said they would when stationary in the road or street.