Spring may be in the air but sadly so are dangerous chemicals from vehicle exhaust fumes, threatening public health.
So, as we move into a new season, the Council’s Environmental Health Team is urging motorists in East Dunbartonshire to switch their vehicle engines off when parked, so that we can all breathe easier.
They have three good reasons to help motivate drivers to cut their emissions:
-
Be healthier - You can reduce harmful exhaust emissions like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and fine particulates by switching off. These pollutants cause harm to people’s lungs, especially children.
-
Save money - You can lower the cost of your fuel bills by switching off. Leaving your engine running for 10 minutes a day over six months could cost you around £60.
-
Help the environment - Idling for just 30 seconds produces twice as much pollution than switching off and restarting your engine.
Watch this short animation which reinforces those messages but if that’s not enough to persuade people to cut their engines then it is worth remembering that it’s an offence to leave your engine running without good reason when parked on a public road. A fixed penalty of £20 can be issued if you fail to turn off your engine when requested to do so by an authorised officer.
Convener of the Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets Committee, Councillor Paul Ferretti, said, “We are all looking forward to milder weather and getting out into the fresh air more and we all have a role to play in keeping our environment as clean as possible. The benefits of turning off vehicle engines when stationary are clear and I’d join our Environmental Health Officers in encouraging people to think more about their behaviour.
“It is particularly important around schools as children are more likely to suffer from respiratory problems caused by car fumes, so we are appealing to parents and carers dropping off and picking up at the school gates to help the youngest, most vulnerable members of our communities, breathe easier on their way to and from school.”
Find out more about air pollution on the vehicle emissions page.
Follow us on Twitter @EDCouncil or like us on Facebook.