Minister considering measures to tackle engine idling, including fines

Richard Bruton is considering action to tackle engine idling, the Irish Examiner can reveal.

This could potentially see motorists being fined for unnecessary engine idling outside places like schools, hospitals and care homes.

However, it could also see the Environment Minister launching a public awareness campaign to highlight the damage it causes.

An idling car, for example, produces enough emissions from its exhaust to fill 150 balloons a minute.

Also, based on studies in the US, if anti-idling measures were brought in for Ireland’s 10,000-strong bus fleet, they could result in a reduction of 40 tonnes of air pollution.

A report in the UK said earlier this year the potential of such measures being brought in for their 34,900-strong bus fleet could be a reduction of 120 tonnes.

A spokesperson for the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment said: “Transitioning away from fossil fuels is at the heart of the Climate Action Plan.

“The plan includes actions which will have a significant impact on improving air quality.”

These actions include developing low emission zones and providing local authorities with powers to restrict access to parts of cities and towns to zero emission vehicles only.

“Emissions from the transport sector, including the question of idling, will be considered in the context of the strategy,” they told the Irish Examiner.

It has emerged that Dr Eamonn Shanahan, Honorary Secretary of the Irish College of General Practitioners, lobbied Minister Bruton about engine idling legislation in a letter in July.

He told him: “The Board and Council of the College advocate on behalf of the profession that the government legislate for a ban or fines on car engine idling.”

He told them that while emissions are being looked at for his forthcoming Clean Air Strategy, ‘a number of possible courses of action are being considered’.

It is an offence under Section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1963 to leave a vehicle unattended on a public road with the engine running.

Unlike other countries around the world, however, there does not appear to be legislative provision for unnecessary engine idling. In the UK, for example, there is.

What authorities there call “stationary idling” is an offence under section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The Act enforces rule 123 of the UK’s Highway Code, which states drivers must not “leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily” while stationary on a public road.

If they do, motorists can incur a £20 fixed-penalty fine under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002.

Many other countries around the world, such as Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France and Germany, have introduced engine idling time limits.

Most of the states in the US have also introduced anti-idling regulations.

The Green Party’s Marc O’Cathasaigh said: “Bringing in a ban would be like using a sledgehammer to crush a nut.

“Legislation shouldn’t be the first road to go down.“

Instead, the government should bring in an awareness campaign, much like with the way Irish Water encouraged people to stop letting the tap keep running.

Meanwhile, the Clean Air Alliance has dubbed as “health apartheid” Minister Bruton’s refusal to implement a nationwide smoky coal ban.

Instead, there is a suggestion he could be about to extend an existing but limited ban in certain towns.

But, says the alliance, this leaves the health of residents in some towns more prone to pollution than others.